Two men sentenced to 76 years in prison for death of Denver teen

Two men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to a total of 76 years in prison for the October 2022 shooting death of 16-year-old Khant Naing in Denver's University District.

Josiah Cruz, 19, pleaded guilty to robbery and was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison by the Colorado Department of Corrections by District Judge Bruce Jones. Charges of second-degree murder and aiding and abetting the crime were dismissed as part of his plea deal.

Six months earlier, Emilio Atticus Gomez, 22, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and robbery and was sentenced to 58 years in prison by the Colorado Department of Corrections by Jones.

Prosecutors dismissed first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted murder and assault charges against Gomez as part of the plea deal, according to court records.

In a video interview played by the prosecution in court Friday, Cruz said he tricked Gomez into becoming the “muscle of the operation” in the robbery that killed Naing.

Naing's family are Burmese immigrants who came to the United States from a refugee camp to have a better life for their son, Naing's mother said in a court statement. She said she didn't want to live anymore and didn't see the point in living without her son.

The defense asked Jones to sentence Cruz to a maximum of 14 years, and prosecutors and Naing's family asked for a sentence of 29 years. They argued that Cruz should get half of Gomez's 58-year sentence for his role in Naing's death.

“Truly, my heart is filled with remorse for the lives lost and the actions that took place,” Cruz said, through tears. “My decision to play a role in this affair has ruined my life. It was never my intention to put your families in danger or harm. …All the sorry people in the world can't make up for what I've done.