Judge Hands down 30 Year Sentence in 2017 Drug-Related Homicide

Published on April 29, 2019

GREELEY, Colo. (Weld County D.A.) – A Weld County man will spend the next three decades in prison for killing a man during a drug transaction in 2017.

Weld District Judge Shannon Lyons sentenced 25-year-old Sammy Vega Monday morning to 30 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections, the maximum sentence under the plea agreement.

Last month Vega plead guilty to second-degree murder for the 2017 homicide.

During the sentencing hearing Monday, Vega admitted to the Court that on December 16, 2017, he met up with Emmanuel Baca and Isael Baca, both from Mexico, in rural Weld County near Keenesburg to conduct a drug deal.

Vega went on to admit he shot both men during the transaction. Isael Baca survived the shooting. However, Emmanuel died from his gunshot wounds.

“Since day one, this defendant has never been consistent with saying what happened that night and has never shown any bit of remorse,” Weld District Attorney Michael Rourke told the Court Monday. “Since he has been in custody, he continued to turn a blind eye to the law and has consistently ignored the orders of the Court. He has had zero respect for the law and deserves every day of this sentence that has been imposed.”

Weld District Attorney Michael Rourke and Deputy District Attorney Travis Winter prosecuted this case.