Courtesy: Emily Rasmussen | News Source: eastbaytimes.com

The former Long Beach Marriott hotel cook who threatened a mass shooting at his workplace last year was sentenced to serve three years and eight months in state prison Monday, Jan. 27, after he pleaded no contest to the felony threats.

Rodolfo Montoya, 37, of Huntington Beach, was arrested on Aug. 20, the day after he told another employee he planned to shoot up the hotel – targeting him, other employees and customers – near the Long Beach Airport. When hotel management alerted authorities, Long Beach police arrested Montoya at his home, where they found several high-powered firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

An illegal assault rifle, high-capacity magazines and tactical gear were also found in Montoya’s home.

“Montoya had clear plans, intent and the means to carry out an act of violence that may have resulted in a mass casualty incident,” Police Chief Robert Luna said at a news conference shortly after his arrest.

The chief said he believed “many lives were saved” because of the hotel worker who reported what he heard.

Montoya pleaded no contest to two counts of felony criminal threats on Jan. 13.

At his sentencing at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach, Judge Richard Goul ordered Montoya must stay away from and have no contact with the victims in the case. He also ordered Montoya be banned from owning any firearms for the rest of his life.

“All of these firearms which are owned by you are ordered to be seized and destroyed by law enforcement,” Goul said to Montoya, through a translator. “The court does advise you that these are serious felonies, this means that should you be convicted of another serious felony, you will be sentenced to 25 years to life.”