(La Junta, CO) -- Hipolito Isaac Sanchez stood handcuffed before Judge Mark MacDonnell in District court in Otero County yesterday. Sanchez was in court on what was scheduled to be a motions hearing, instead the defendant agreed to plead guilty to second degree kidnapping, a class four felony in exchange for dropping four other charges.
Sanchez and six others were arrested following an investigation into the kidnapping and torturing of a woman in Rocky Ford in 2017.
At 4:11 Wednesday April 13th, Sanchez entered a guilty plea and was offered an opportunity to address his victim, who was in court to observe. Sanchez stated, "I want to apologize, I love you and you've always been my friend and you will be no matter what, I apologize to you. Following the statement, the victim broke out in tears.
District Attorney Will Culver told the court he had spoke to the victim and she felt that out of the group involved, Sanchez was trying to protect her even if he did participate.
Judge MacDonnell told Sanchez that it's sad to see him in the cycle of living with his mom and continuing to do drugs. MacDonnell finished by saying "I don't know what it takes to break the cycle you're in."
Sanchez requested permission to respond and said he's been trying hard to turn his life around. He said he'll do his time and return to his career as a barber. Sanchez told the judge he hopes to someday have him sit in his chair for a haircut.
Hipolito Isaac Sanchez could serve six years in the Colorado Department of Corrections with three years of mandatory parole. He will also pay $2,000 in fines to the court.
Others who face charges of first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder:
Cosme Flores
Jamie Harmon
Jeremy Casias
Kendra Thompson
Leonard Trujillo
Leroy Osborne
The others have court hearings scheduled.
###
