Earlier this week, Denver police officers got the surprise of their lives when an arrested and handcuffed suspect began firing at them with a gun he had hidden in his butt cheeks. 32-year-old Isaac Vigil was searched and arrested after officers saw him smoke meth in a McDonald’s parking lot. He was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia. He also had an outstanding warrant for assault and possession of a weapon from Adams County.
Once he was in their custody, he was searched and handcuffed. The suspect was aggressive and agitated, however, so police officers called backup to assist them with the arrest. When he arrived at the police district, Vigil began firing shots from behind his back with a Raven P25 Auto .25 handgun he had hidden in his buttocks cheeks. Police officers immediately fired back, shooting the armed criminal in the stomach.
At the moment, Vigil is recovering from his injuries at the hospital, but he now faces escalated charges, including attempted murder. Since Vigil was a convicted felon, he was not supposed to own a gun, so he will also face charges of illegal possession of a firearm. Arresting officers said that when Vigil was searched further, they also found 2 bags of meth hidden in his butt.
Resisting Arrest vs. Attempted Murder
Firing a loaded weapon or threatening a police officer is a serious crime and can result in escalated charges against you. At the least, you will be charged with resisting arrest or obstructing justice. At the worst, you could find yourself facing felony attempted murder charges or felony assault. In general, there are two types of resisting arrests in Colorado: resisting arrest without violence and resisting arrest with violence. As you can imagine, using violence or the threat of violence will result in more serious penalties and consequences, including at least 3 years in Colorado State Prison.
You could be charged with felony resisting arrest if you draw a weapon at a police officer, assault a police officer, or even threaten a police officer physically. In Vigil’s case, since he fired shots, the charges escalated to a much more serious attempted murder charge. If convicted of attempted murder, Vigil could face up to 9 years in Colorado State Prison.
Enhanced Penalties for Convicted Felons in Colorado
Since Vigil is already a convicted felon, he may face even more enhanced penalties and longer prison sentences. Colorado law seeks to punish repeat criminals more harshly than those who are facing their first offenses. Colorado’s three strikes law means that for specific felony convictions a criminal receives a strike on their criminal record. This does not apply to all felony convictions, however, so an experienced Denver criminal defense is needed to help protect your rights and your freedom—and keep strikes off of your record if possible.
If you have been convicted of a class 1 or 2 felony or a violent class 3 felony AND you suffered 2 prior convictions of a similar nature, then you could face life in prison.
Denver Criminal Defense Lawyer on Your Side
When the evidence is stacked against you, it can feel like all hope is lost. Yet this is far from the truth. An experienced Denver criminal defense attorney will work diligently to build a solid defense designed to weaken the prosecution’s case against you. There are ways to reduce your penalties and the charges against you—but without an experienced Denver criminal defense lawyer on your side, there is little hope.
Denver Criminal Defense Lawyers
If you have been arrested and charged with a crime in Denver, the Denver criminal defense lawyers at Steven Louth Law Offices can help. No matter how serious the charges are against you, we can help. Contact us today for a free consultation and review of your case. Call us at (303) 422-2297.