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Placer Sentinel

Duran Sentenced to 70 years in Prison

Jul 24, 2017 12:00AM ● By Assistant District Attorney, Jeff Wilson

Judge Denies Attempt by Duran to Withdraw His Guilty Plea

Placer County, CA (MPG) - The Honorable Mark Curry sentenced Samuel Duran, 36, of Roseville today to 70 years to life in State Prison in connection with his October 25, 2013, assault on Roseville Police Officers and a Federal Immigration and Customs Agent. Duran previously plead guilty to three counts of attempted Murder on a Peace Officer and admitted discharging a weapon causing great bodily injury in connection to the incident on April 6, 2017. Under the plea terms, Duran faced a minimum prison sentence of 40 years to life and the maximum of 70 years to life. 

Duran also attempted to withdraw his guilty plea prior to the sentencing. The District Attorney’s Office opposed the motion.  Supervising Deputy District Attorney Doug Van Breemen argued that there was no basis in fact or law to allow Duran to withdraw his plea. Van Breemen argued that this was just another attempt by Duran to delay the inevitable consequences from his attempt to end the lives of police officers. Judge Curry denied Duran’s request to withdraw his plea.  

Assistant District Attorney Jeff Wilson, who prosecuted the case along with Van Breemen, encouraged the court to follow the recommendation of the Placer County Probation Department, who prepared a pre-sentence report, recommending that the court impose the maximum sentence of 70 years to life. Wilson stated to the court that Duran was nothing more than a "Cop Killer who, fortunately for our officers and our community, was bad at it.” The fact that he failed in his quest to take the lives of these officers does not mitigate his culpability or the need to impose the maximum sentence. Every day when these or any officer goes to work they understand there is a chance that they could face the likes of Sammy Duran. Just because Peace Officers accept that far too common reality as part of their responsibility, we as a community or as a criminal justice system should never accept it. We should express our unwillingness to accept it by making these cop killers like Sammy Duran spend the rest of their lives in a prison cell. If we do that, there will at least be one less cop killer that law enforcement will have to worry about and it also tells others who decide to kill cops what the consequence will be of doing so. In addition to the above, Wilson cited Duran’s violent criminal history and lack of remorse in requesting the court to impose the sentence of 70 years to life.

During the incident Duran fled from law enforcement, shooting at two Roseville Officers and a Federal Immigration and Customs Agent.  After hitting the Federal Agent with one of the shots, Duran fled through a Roseville neighborhood eventually barricading himself in a Roseville home. He continued to exchange gun fire with law enforcement during the standoff, shooting one officer in the face at close range. He was eventually apprehended hours later when he surrendered to Roseville Police Officers.  

Judge Curry’s imposed sentence of 70 years to life will make Duran eligible for parole under current law at the age of 102 years old.

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