A change-of-plea hearing for a man charged with murder for his role in the 2012 fatal shooting of Salt Lake City smoke shop clerk has been continued until Thursday.
Vladimir Suarez-Campos, 40, was expected on Monday to enter a guilty plea to a second-degree felony count of manslaughter and felony-level counts of obstructing justice and felony discharge of a firearm in Salt Lake City's 3rd District Court — but for unknown reasons he was not transported from jail to court.
The hearing is now set for Thursday morning.
Despite the felony-level crimes — which carry punishments of up to 15 years — Suarez-Campos will serve no prison time, according to attorneys.
Instead, he is expected to be sentenced to a probation period of up to seven years, defense attorney Adam Crayk told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Salt Lake County prosecutors negotiated the plea agreement with Suarez-Campos in return for his testimony against Yelfris Sosa-Hurtado, who was convicted last week of fatally shooting 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez inside CJ's Smoke Shop on March 14, 2012.
On the stand, Suarez-Campos said he had gone to the shop, 876 W. 800 South, thinking he and his friend were going to engage in a fist fight. Instead, he testified to watching from outside the shop door as Sosa-Hurtado walked into the business and opened fire with a rifle.
Police initially pegged Suarez-Campos as Sosa-Hurtado's getaway driver, but on the stand he told the jury he fled on foot after the shooting, but then never told anyone about the shooting.
"I regret everything," Vladimir Suarez-Campos said through a 3rd District Court interpreter. "I regret that I didn't tell the police … I regret that I was so stupid."
Suarez-Campos, had pleaded not guilty to he original murder and gun charges filed against him. Had he been convicted of those charges, he could have spent the rest of his life in prison. He came forward with information about the shooting earlier this year. Suarez-Campos also said he attempted to tell his story earlier, but said his original defense attorney either didn't listen to him or could not understand him, because he only speaks Spanish.
Crayk plans to ask the state to allow Suarez-Campos to relocate to Florida, where he has family.
jdobner@sltrib.com
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado enters the room during his trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado enters the room during his trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado listens during his trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado listens during his trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Isabel Chavez talks about the night his son was killed during the trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Isabel Chavez talks about the night his son was killed during the trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Defense attorney Heather Brereton listens during the trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Defense attorney Ralph Dellapiana listens during the trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Chris Detrick | The Salt Lake Tribune Vince Meister questions Isabel Chavez during the trail at the Scott M. Matheson Courthouse Tuesday October 28, 2014. Yelfis Sosa-Hurtado is on trial this week, charged in 3rd District Court with aggravated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 26-year-old Stephen Guadalupe Chavez, after a confrontation at CJÕs Smoke Shop, 876 W. 800 South, in Salt Lake City on March 14, 2012.
Courtesy Photo Stephen Chavez, in 2011.
Courtesy Photo Stephen Chavez, in 2008.
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