Colorado man sentenced to 70 years in prison for sexual assault, kidnapping
A judge has sentenced Jerricho Joseph Esquivel to 70 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for the violent sexual assault and kidnapping of a woman in Aurora. According to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office, Esquivel, 24, pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping.
Prosecutors said that Aurora police officers responded to a gas station in the 15200 block of East Colfax Avenue on Nov. 21, 2022, after a woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted in an alleyway behind an apartment complex.
The victim told investigators that she had been dropped off by her husband and was walking to work, where she cleaned houses in the area, when Esquivel approached her. She told police that he produced a gun, grabbed the victim by her jacket, and forced her behind a dumpster, where he pistol-whipped and sexually assaulted her.
The victim told police that during the assault, Esquivel attempted to pull the trigger of the gun, but the victim released the magazine during the struggle and the weapon did not fire. Prosecutors said the victim fought back and eventually managed to run away.
Prosecutors said the victim had a tough time getting help after she ran away. They said first she tried to flag down passing vehicles but no one stopped. Then she ran to a nearby gas station, but the door was locked. She tried to approach a car in the parking lot for help but the occupants refused to call for help, saying they "don't get involved with police." The victim finally approached another man and showed him the injuries on her head. He called 911, but wouldn't stay with her until the police arrived.
Investigators said she was taken to the hospital for treatment, and a sexual assault forensic exam later revealed DNA evidence linking Esquivel to the assault.
"This case represents the unimaginable courage of a survivor who fought back and came forward," Assistant Chief Deputy DA Kate Tierney said in a statement. "This sentence ensures that a dangerous predator remains off our streets for the foreseeable future."
Esquivel pleaded guilty on Oct. 3 and was sentenced to 30 years in prison for attempted second-degree murder and 40 years in prison for second-degree kidnapping - sexual assault. The sentences will be served consecutively.
The 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office said that a few weeks after the assault and kidnapping in Aurora, Esquivel was involved in a separate burglary and sexual assault case in Adams County. The DA said sentencing in that case has been scheduled for later this month.
"This survivor's bravery and determination are nothing short of extraordinary," said District Attorney Amy Padden in a statement. "Despite enduring unimaginable violence and being denied help by multiple bystanders, she fought back, survived, and had the strength to come forward to hold her attacker accountable."
