Colorado Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Involvement in Pine Ridge Murder

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Denver, Colorado, man convicted of Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder was sentenced on November 29, 2021, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Estevan Baquera, a/k/a “Obama,” age 28, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Baquera was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 20, 2018, and pleaded guilty on July 16, 2021.

The conviction stems from the October 16, 2016, assault and shooting death of Vincent Von Brewer III in front of the SuAnne Big Crow Center in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Baquera kept bystanders from approaching and participated in Brewer’s assault. Two other individuals, Francisco Villanueva and Adan Corona, then proceeded to shoot Brewer 15 times with an assault rifle and a 9mm handgun, as Brewer attempted to flee. Additionally, Baquera assisted in changing license plates on a motor vehicle involved with the crime in order to evade detection. Villanueva was recently sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. Corona is awaiting sentencing and faces a mandatory life sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations, and the Denver and Aurora, Colorado, Police Departments. The investigation was also supported by numerous other state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Collins and Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

Baquera was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.