A Lancaster man was sentenced Thursday to state prison for lying to police about a homicide investigation, then calling and tipping off one of the charged killers.

Daniel F. Pineda, 22, previously pleaded guilty to two felony counts of hindering apprehension for:

• Telling police he knew nothing about the May 30, 2019, killing of Tyreek Gardner in Lancaster city.
• Calling Ryan Rivera - prior to Rivera being charged – and telling him to “be careful” because police are asking about him.

“You have to be careful out there, bro, you hot,” Pineda told Rivera in a recorded phone call Pineda made from Lancaster County Prison on July 2, 2019.

On Thursday, Lancaster County Judge Howard Knisely sentenced Pineda to 14 to 46 months in prison, plus four years of probation, for the hindering charges and a separate incident when Pineda resisted and tried to escape police during a June 16, 2019, arrest.

Assistant District Attorney Travis. S. Anderson requested a state prison sentence, saying it was “disgusting” that Pineda tipped off Rivera knowing full well that Rivera had hunted down and murdered an unarmed man.

Pineda is not charged in Gardner’s death. There is no evidence that Pineda did anything to assist with or facilitate the homicide itself.

Rivera and two brothers, Brian and Vladimir Paltan, are charged with homicide. Those cases are pending. All three men are presumed innocent.

Pineda was with Rivera on the night of the killing, shortly before Gardner was killed, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing.

Pineda is visible in surveillance video, conversing with Rivera and pointing to Gardner just moments before Gardner was shot multiple times on East Chestnut Street.

Lancaster city police Detective Tom Ginder filed all charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright