Utah man sent to prison for 2001 drive-by shooting

A Utah man accused of pulling the trigger in a 2001 fatal drive-by shooting has resolved his criminal case.

Vincent James Thomas, 34, was charged in 2013 with first-degree felony murder in connection to the killing of 25-year-old Leonel Perales on Sept. 28, 2001.

On Thursday, Thomas entered a so-called Alford plea to a reduced second-degree felony manslaughter charge, meaning he does not admit guilt but acknowledges that the evidence against him would likely secure a conviction at trial.

Third District Court Judge Elizabeth Hruby-Mills sentenced Thomas to a one-to-15 year prison term for the crime, according to court records.

Prosecutors allege that Thomas was in a car with two other men, Jeffry Henry Suarez and Raymond Daniel Benally, during the drive-by shooting. They accuse Suarez of firing a gun first, then passing it to Thomas, who fired several rounds into the victim's car.

Benally pleaded guilty to second-degree felony manslaughter in February 2014, admitting that he drove a car "in a reckless manner" while two passengers fired shots toward another vehicle. He was sentenced to 36 months probation.

Benally, 33, died in August after the vehicle he was riding in crashed into a TRAX car in Sugar House.

Suarez, 33, who is charged with first-degree felony murder, is expected in court on Dec. 14 for a status conference, according to prosecutors.

On the day of the shooting, a Salt Lake City police officer saw a Honda Accord and a Chevy Celebrity heading south on 700 East, according to court records. When the officer caught up to the Accord near 680 E. Coatsville Ave. (1790 South), the people inside said their friend, Perales, had just been shot, according to the charges.

Perales was taken to the hospital and later died.

jmiller@sltrib.com