A Mexican Mafia gang member has been sentenced to life in prison for fatally kicking, stomping and beating a high-ranking gang member in the nation’s most secure federal prison.
Richard “Chuco” Santiago, 56, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and murder by a life prisoner on Thursday in Denver U.S. District Court as part of a plea deal to avoid a possible death sentence in the beating death of Manuel “Tati” Torrez at the Administrative Maximum U.S. Penitentiary (known as Supermax) in Florence.
Denver U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn immediately sentenced Santiago to life in prison. Santiago already is serving life in prison for prior prison murders.
of murder at trial and was sentenced to life in prison.
Shortly after Rivera’s arrival, he and Santiago murdered Torrez in the recreation area that is part of the ADX’s general population unit, according to a news release by Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and FBI Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers.
