Cortez man admits to child abuse
A Cortez man pleaded guilty to child abuse charges on Monday as part of a plea deal to avoid a domestic violence conviction.
Sonnie Gustamantez, 29, pleaded guilty on Monday to two misdemeanor counts of child abuse in connection to a domestic violence incident that occurred last August. A sentencing hearing was set for June 4.
Public defender Katie Whitney said the plea deal called for a cap of 10 days in jail and 18 months of probation, including parenting and anger management classes.
Prosecutors said they agreed to the deal because they would be unable to prove the domestic violence charges.
Walker tentatively accepted the plea deal pending a report from probation officials, but said he would likely include a domestic violence class at sentencing.
Gustamantez was initially charged with two counts of felony menacing and two misdemeanor counts of child abuse. Court records reveal the defendant was allegedly intoxicated when he threatened his fiancée and a friend with a 6-inch knife. He reportedly fled the scene with two children in the vehicle, placing their safety at risk.
Drunken driver gets 60 days in jail
A Cortez man will serve 60 days in jail followed by two years of probation in connection to a Fourth of July drunken driving crash.
Amador Begaye, 32, received the punishment on Wednesday after pleading guilty to vehicle assault as caused by reckless driving and DUI. Upon his release, Begaye was also ordered to comply with DUI court recommendations, attend driving and victim impact courses, submit to random drug and alcohol testing and pay restitution and fines.
Addressing the court at sentencing, Begaye indicated he wanted to seek in-patient alcohol treatment. He then turned to apologize to the victim and his family sitting near the back of the courtroom. The victim didn’t speak at the hearing.
Begaye’s third DUI conviction, prosecutors said the vehicular assault charge could have easily resulted in vehicular homicide with one slight turn of the steering wheel.
Court records reveal that Begaye ran off Colorado Highway 145 striking a rock and tree. A passenger suffered a traumatic brain injury and lacerations to internal organs.
tbaker@cortezjournal.com