A Greeley man was sentenced to more than 1,000 years in prison Friday afternoon in Weld County on 50 counts of attempted first-degree murder after shooting into a Greeley bar almost three years ago, leaving two patrons wounded.
Efren Sanchez was sentenced to 1,016 total years in the Colorado Department of Corrections by Weld County District Court Judge Vincente G. Vigil following a hearing.
Sanchez received 48 years each for shooting and wounding two customers who testified in the case dating to Aug. 13, 2022, at Rancho El Corazon on East 18th Street in Greeley. Sanchez also received 40 years each for 23 other victims who were in the bar. He will also be liable for more than $19,000 of reimbursement to a victims’ compensation fund.
In April, a jury convicted Sanchez of firing more than 30 rounds into the bar. He was also convicted on two counts of a crime of violence. Sanchez faced up to 1,200 years in prison with between 16 and 48 years for each victim.
He left the bar in August 2022 after feeling disrespected by another customer and returned armed with a rifle and began shooting.
Sanchez represented himself at trial and at Friday’s sentencing. He asked Vigil for the minimum sentence, saying anything beyond would be “a cruel and unusual punishment.”
Vigil said it was “only by dumb luck” Sanchez’s actions didn’t end as one of the most horrific crimes ever in Weld County. The judge said Sanchez had to acknowledge the seriousness of what he did.
“This is a just sentence, this is a fair sentence and it’s the only sentence the court could impose,” Vigil said.
Sanchez will be assigned an attorney from the public defender’s office to handle any appeal. He asked Vigil for a new trial because of mental health and competency issues — a request the judge denied because a jury verdict was rendered.
Before Vigil delivered his sentence, Chief Deputy District Attorney Anthony Perea asked Vigil for Sanchez’s sentence to align with the “full force of the law.”
Both Perea and Vigil compared Sanchez’s actions to other mass shootings in Colorado — noting the only difference was none of the victims here died.
“It was not for a lack of trying as people scrambled for their lives,” Perea said.
The judge added Sanchez demonstrated he is a danger to society and added the response to feeling disrespected was a grossly disproportionate action.
“There was no need to get anything close to this,” Vigil said. “I’m shocked nobody died.”
Perea read an impact statement from one of the victims who was hit by a bullet. Rita Baltazar was struck in the leg as she sat outside the bar. Since the incident, she’s suffered from panic attacks and feelings of depression and anxiety while having no social life because of a fear of being killed, Perea told the court.
A man, Rosalio Guardiola, was struck in the torso.
“He definitely killed their spirit, at least the two who were willing to talk (to law enforcement),” Perea said. “A lot of people still live in fear.”
Sanchez had six previous felony convictions on his record, and he was out on bond pending sentencing on an assault charge at the time of the Rancho El Corazon shooting.
He also had a history of gang involvement. Perea said Sanchez acted as a gang member in this case.
“But for the grace of God none of those victims died,” Perea said, adding a strong punishment would send a clear message. “We’re not going to tolerate this behavior and this fear in our community.”
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