A plea deal could be pending in the case of a Honduran man, living in the U.S. unlawfully, who is accused .
During a court appearance on Thursday morning, a Denver prosecutor said a proposed disposition has been extended to 28-year-old Norlan Estrada-Reyes. The details of the disposition — apparently referring to a plea deal — were not discussed.
“It just unraveled late yesterday afternoon,” Brad Lozow, Estrada-Reyes’ attorney, told District Judge Shelley Gillman.
Estrada-Reyes has pleaded not guilty to charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, careless driving resulting in death and reckless driving in the Oct. 30 death of .
He was deported to Honduras in 2007, but returned to the U.S. and was twice arrested in Denver — including for suspicion of driving under the influence — before police say at East 13th Avenue and Broadway and .
In late February, Estrada-Reyes pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally reentering the U.S. after being previously deported. He he served in federal detention after being picked up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Last month, Judge Gillman raised bail for Estrada-Reyes from $20,000 to $1 million to prevent his deportation before he faced charges in the hit-and-run case.
Denver Chief Deputy District Attorney Julie Hill said Thursday that Estrada-Reyes’ immigration proceedings with ICE have been finalized and that the agency has “no further cause to hold him.” Hill said Estrada-Reyes has been in federal detention.
“If he is returned to immigration’s custody we will lose him to deportation,” Hill said.
Gillman ordered Estrada-Reyes be jailed in Denver.
Estrada-Reyes did not speak during Thursday’s hearing. He wore a blue blazer and sat beside Lozow and a translator. Pulec’s family was in the courtroom.
Pulec was killed on Oct. 30 and Estrada-Reyes . He was charged with felony hit-and-run involving death, driving without proof of insurance and careless driving resulting in death.
According to federal court documents, immigration officers interviewed him Nov. 5. It wasn’t until Dec. 5, however, that ICE agents arrested Estrada-Reyes outside the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse downtown after a court appearance in Pulec’s death.
On Jan. 13, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Colorado filed a criminal complaint in federal court accusing him of illegally re-entering the country and he was later indicted on the charge before pleading guilty and being sentenced.
Federal prosecutors don’t often charge people in the country illegally if they don’t have an extensive conviction history, with immigration-related crimes, deferring the cases instead to ICE. Acting Colorado U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer said for immigrants who are a public safety threat — like Estrada-Reyes — in an effort to get them off the street.
Immigrant advocates worry that under President Donald Trump’s administration, and the prospect of a new top federal prosecutor in Colorado, more people living in the country illegally .
