A Lancaster man will serve up to 47 years in prison for fatally shooting a man on a city street last year.
Jose G. Duque, 21, pleaded guilty Friday in Lancaster County Court to third-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm regarding the Feb. 26, 2017, shooting of 19-year-old Daniel E. Sanchez.
In exchange for the plea, Duque will serve 23½ to 47 years in prison, in accordance with a plea agreement arranged by Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman.
Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright accepted the plea terms and ordered sentence.
Sanchez died two days after he was shot, in the back of the head and buttocks, in the 100 block of Dauphin Street. Duque and Sanchez exchanged words prior to the shooting, Fetterman said in court Friday.
Duque fled and turned himself in about three weeks later.
Eyewitnesses identified him as the shooter, according to prior testimony.
Duque turned and apologized to Sanchez’s family during the sentencing hearing.
“I’m apologizing and, to tell the truth, I didn’t want to do it,” Duque said through an interpreter. “I am not a bad person. I did not want to do it. I didn’t have a bad intention.”
Sanchez’s family approved of the plea resolution.
Lancaster city police Detective Kevin Fry filed charges.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright