Thug on probation back in court over Halloween beating and stabbing
A violent thug on probation for a string of brutal street attacks in San Francisco’s Mission district, now accused of joining a Halloween beating and stabbing over a $100 debt, in the same spot as his earlier assaults, will appear in court today for a preliminary hearing.
Prosecutors say John Michael Mendoza, 28, was a key player in the three-man attack which saw his defenseless victim knifed multiple times and repeatedly stomped, punched and kicked while unconscious on the ground.
His alleged accomplice, Adonay Melendez, 27, was also arrested.
“At the time of this incident,” wrote assistant district attorney Rebecca Warren in a detention motion, “defendant Mendoza was on felony probation for assault by means likely to cause great bodily injury.”
This referred to a pair of incidents in the early evening of November 5 2024, beginning when Mendoza attacked a woman who was waiting to pick up food from a restaurant near 16th and Mission Streets – punching her repeatedly in the stomach and chest.
A half hour later Mendoza robbed a barber of his iPhone while he was walking on Mission Street – first punching him in the head then, while he was on the ground, kicking him in the face.
He was arrested on November 11 2024. Three days later Judge Kenneth Wine ordered his release on his own recognizance. After he pleaded guilty to a single count of assault, two other charges of robbery and battery were dropped, and Judge Simon Frankel sentenced him to one day in jail on June 16 2025.
Two months later he had his probation revoked and was returned to jail for 90 days by Judge Marisa Chun, who said he was eligible for half-time credits meaning he only had to serve 45 days.
Mendoza will appear in Department 20 at the city’s Hall of Justice this morning for a preliminary hearing for the latest attack, at which a judge will decide if the evidence is sufficient to send him to trial.
He has pleaded not guilty to one count of assault with a deadly weapon.
The case continues.
Please support our work by using this Paypal link
To be notified of new stories enter your email address here or follow us on X
