Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, sentenced to 110 years in prison for an accident caused by faulty brakes, had his sentence reduced by 100 years by the governor after an intense mobilization.
A major reduction in sentence. Colorado Governor Jared Polis commuted the sentence of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a 25-year-old trucker sentenced to 110 years in prison for causing his truck’s faulty brakes to cause a massive traffic accident killing four people in April 2019. The Cuban had received this minimum sentence, applied under Colorado law, after being found guilty of 27 charges against him last October.
But thanks to intense mobilization and a petition signed by five million people – and notably relayed by Kim Kardashian, who has been involved in several criminal cases in recent years – his case made the headlines and arrived to the governor’s office. This sentence “is simply not proportional to your actions, nor with the sentences imposed on others for similar crimes”, admitted Jared Polis in a letter addressed to Rogel Aguilera-Mederos to announce to him that he had reduced his sentence of 100 years.
An “unfair” sentence
“You were sentenced to 110 years in prison, much more than a life sentence, for a tragic but unintentional act. Even if you are not exempt from blame, your conviction is disproportionate compared to many other inmates in our penal system who have committed intentional, premeditated or violent crimes, ”he lamented. “It is urgent to remedy this unjust sentence and to restore confidence in the regularity and fairness of our criminal justice, and therefore I have decided to commute your sentence now”, added the elected official, who “Hopes this case will initiate an important debate on the laws.”
The man will now be eligible for a parole application in December 2026. “Mr. Mederos is incredibly grateful for the governor’s decision. I think it’s a much fairer sentence compared to the 110 years he was sentenced to, ”James Colgan, one of the inmate’s lawyers, told CNN.
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