Thornton man sentenced to 70 years in prison in Aurora sexual assault case

A 24-year-old Thornton man who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a violent sexual assault in an Aurora alleyway was sentenced to 70 years in prison last week.

Jerricho Joseph Esquivel pleaded guilty to attempted murder and kidnapping after police say he sexually assaulted a woman at gunpoint while she was on her way to work on Nov. 21, 2022.

The woman told police she had been dropped off by her husband and was on her way to work cleaning houses when Esquivel approached her with a gun, grabbed her jacket and forced her behind a dumpster, where he pistol-whipped her and sexually assaulted her, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. 

Esquivel tried to fire the gun at one point, but it did not go off, and the woman was able to release the gun’s magazine, fight Esquivel off and run away.

She tried to flag down passing cars to ask for help and approached a car of people at a gas station, but nobody would stop or help her, the DA’s office said. A man eventually agreed to call 911 but would not remain with her until police arrived.

Esquivel was sentenced to 30 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for attempted murder and 40 years for kidnapping, officials said.

Charges of sexual assault and assault were dismissed as part of the plea agreement, court records show.

“This survivor’s bravery and determination are nothing short of extraordinary,” District Attorney Amy Padden said in a statement. “Despite enduring unimaginable violence and being denied help by multiple bystanders, she fought back, survived and had the strength to come forward to hold her attacker accountable.”

Esquivel was represented by the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender, which does not comment on criminal cases. He is set to be sentenced in a second sexual assault case in Adams County District Court on Oct. 16.

Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day.