The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a Mesquite man sentenced to multiple life terms in prison for his role in the 1996 murder of a teenage boy to get the custom rims from the victim's car.

The high court ruled against Joseph Sanchez, who was 15 at the time high school student Fernando Moreno was shot seven times with a high-powered rifle. Michael Cu, identified as the actual shooter, also got multiple life sentences.

Sanchez claimed he got a disproportionate sentence and that the sentencing judge mistakenly relied on a belief that the crimes were gang-related.

The Supreme Court said its review of the case showed that Clark County District Judge Lee Gates didn't err in rejecting a move by Sanchez to have his sentence modified.

In addition to his murder conviction, Sanchez was convicted of kidnapping, robbery and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to serve four consecutive life terms with the possibility of parole.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)