A Utah man was sentenced to prison after he was found guilty of murder following an almost four-week jury trial.
Photo: Michael Coghlan
Murder Equals 15 Years to Life in Prison
Ramon Somoza of American Fork was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the first-degree felony murder of Jesus Landin, whose body was discovered wrapped in plastic garbage bags and duct tape on January 7, 2010. Landin apparently came to Somoza and demanded $400 that he believed Somoza owed him. Landin was shot several times. Somoza’s defense was that he was afraid of Landin and only shot him after Landin came at him with a screwdriver.
Other Convictions
Somoza was also found guilty of obstructing justice and desecration of a dead human body, second- and third-degree felonies respectively. These two sentences will be served concurrent to each other and consecutively to the murder sentence. Somoza must also pay fines and restitution totaling more than $50,000.
Murder Comes With Hefty Sentence
Under Utah law, a person convicted of murder shall be sentenced to no less than 15 years in prison and up to life in prison. It is up to the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to determine if or when a person may be eligible for parole, unless as part of the person’s sentence he is ineligible for parole.
An Attorney May Make the Difference in Your Case
When a person is facing any criminal charge, it is vital that he or she seek the advice of an experienced Utah criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Don’t rely on law enforcement to sort the situation out in your favor. You need and deserve to be represented by an attorney who has your best interests at heart. Take the time and contact a Utah criminal defense attorney right away. It may be the most important phone call you’ll ever make.
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