Canyon County Man Gets 30-Year Prison Term for Nampa Parking Lot Murder
A Canyon County judge sentenced a Nampa man to 30 years in prison Friday for the gang-related fatal shooting of an innocent bystander outside a Nampa restaurant in September 2022 — more than three years after the crime shook the Caldwell community.
Third Judicial District Judge Gabriel McCarthy handed down the sentence against Brian Moreno, 25, who was convicted of first-degree murder in February for killing 24-year-old Joe Flores in the parking lot of a Buffalo Wild Wings in Nampa. Moreno will not be eligible for parole until he has served the full 30 years.
An Innocent Man Shot in the Back
According to the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Flores had no gang affiliation and was not involved in the dispute that led to the shooting. He was struck in the back while standing outside the restaurant — a detail that weighed heavily at Friday’s sentencing hearing.
Flores’ family members addressed Moreno directly from the courtroom. His brother Chris did not hold back. “I don’t forgive you,” Chris Flores told Moreno. “You’re a rat. You’re a cancer to society. You’re a domestic terrorist.” Their father, Martin Flores Sr., told the court, “This man ruined our lives, for the rest of our lives.”
Prosecutor Sought Life Without Parole
Canyon County Prosecutor Chris Boyd pushed for a harsher outcome, asking the court for a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Boyd argued the community deserved certainty. “Give them the certainty that this will never happen again,” Boyd said. “Not in our community and not on my watch.” Moreno ultimately avoided that maximum punishment.
Defense attorney Jay Kiiha asked the court for leniency, urging the judge to consider the influence of Moreno’s gang environment and the long-term cost of lifetime incarceration. Kiiha recommended a parole-eligible sentence after 20 years. Judge McCarthy settled on 30 years before parole eligibility — a middle ground between the two positions. Moreno declined to address the court at sentencing.
Credit to Nampa Police
Prosecutor Boyd publicly recognized the law enforcement effort that helped bring the case to resolution. “I would like to thank the Nampa Police Department, and in particular Detective Matt Richardson, for never giving up on this case,” Boyd said.
The Flores family’s loss is a reminder of the real costs that gang violence imposes on Canyon County families who want nothing to do with it. Cases involving innocent victims caught in disputes they had no part in have drawn increasing scrutiny across the Treasure Valley. For more on law enforcement matters affecting Nampa residents, see the recent $10 million claim filed by a family over a 2025 Nampa police shooting of a teen, another case highlighting the intersection of community safety and accountability in Canyon County.
What Comes Next
Moreno will be remanded to the Idaho Department of Correction to begin serving his sentence. Under the judge’s order, he will not be eligible for parole consideration for 30 years. The Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s office has indicated the case is now closed at the trial level. For broader coverage of Idaho public safety and criminal justice issues, visit Idaho News.