A teenage soccer player from Salt Lake City, Utah has pleaded guilty to homicide by assault in connection with the death of a soccer game referee he punched following a disputed call.
Richard Portillo, 46, died on April 27 after being punched in the head by a 17-year-old player authorities have yet to identify because of his age he dared to call a foul on. News reports say the boy and his father left the field right after the incident without knowing the condition of the referee and despite being told to stay.
After spending a week in a coma, Portillo, a father of three, died from his injuries. “I was frustrated at the ref and caused his death,” the teenager told the court in voicing his admission. The plea arrangement was reached between the boy’s attorneys and prosecutors just before the judge was set to render a decision as to if he would be tried in juvenile or adult court.
While the deal stipulates that the teen will be tried as a child, the judge sentenced him to juvenile court, meaning the amount of time he will spend incarcerated will be left up to a juvenile parole board. The maximum would be just over three years or until he turns 21, unless the parole board deems otherwise. As an additional condition of the plea agreement, Judge Horank ordered that the teen keep a picture of Portillo in his cell and write his daughters weekly as a reminder of the pain he’s caused.
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