Two males pleaded responsible and had been sentenced to a mixed 76 years jail for the October 2022 taking pictures dying of 16-year-old Khant Naing in Denver’s College neighborhood.
Josiah Cruz, 19, pleaded responsible to aggravated theft and was sentenced Friday to 18 years within the Colorado Division of Corrections by District Decide Bruce Jones. Fees of second-degree homicide and being an adjunct to the crime had been dismissed as a part of his plea deal.
Six months earlier, Emilio Atticus Gomez, 22, pleaded responsible to second-degree homicide and aggravated theft and was sentenced to 58 years within the Colorado Division of Corrections by Jones.
Prosecutors dismissed fees of first-degree homicide, second-degree homicide, tried homicide and assault in opposition to Gomez as a part of the plea settlement, in response to courtroom information.
In a video interview performed by the prosecution in courtroom Friday, Cruz mentioned he introduced Gomez to be the “muscle of the operation” within the theft that killed Naing.
Naing’s household are Burmese immigrants who got here to america from a refugee camp to have a greater life for his or her son, Naing’s mom mentioned in an announcement to the courtroom. She mentioned she doesn’t need to dwell anymore and doesn’t see the purpose of being alive with out her son.
The protection requested Jones to condemn Cruz to not more than 14 years, and prosecutors and Naing’s household pushed for 29 years. They argued that Cruz ought to get half of Gomez’s 58-year sentence for his function in Naing’s dying.
“Really my coronary heart is full of regret for the life misplaced and the actions that unfolded,” Cruz mentioned, talking by way of tears. “My choice to play an element on this has ruined my life. I by no means meant to place your households at risk or hurt’s method. … All of the sorrys on this planet can’t make up for what I’ve executed.”
Jones mentioned he struggled to find out the suitable sentence for Cruz and will see the argument from either side.
The choose mentioned he took statutory components, truthful and constant remedy, rehabilitation, punishment and the defendant’s ‘ particular person traits into consideration when deciding on a sentence.
“He’s younger and he has made a horrible choice,” Jones mentioned, noting that Cruz has no prior felony historical past and robust household assist. “Whereas he positioned Mr. Gomez within the place for doing what Mr. Gomez did, I’m satisfied he didn’t imagine Mr. Gomez would go to this excessive.”
Jones sentenced Cruz to 18 years in jail throughout Friday’s listening to, adopted by 5 years of necessary parole.
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