Las Cruces teen sentenced to 9 years for shooting, paralyzing victim during drug deal

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- A Las Cruces teenager received a nine-year federal prison sentence for shooting and paralyzing an 18-year-old victim during a robbery, the U.S. Attorney's Office District of New Mexico said Wednesday.

A news release said in February 2022, Matthew James Aguilar and two other people planned to meet the victim to buy marijuana. Aguilar was 16 years old at the time.

During the transaction, Aguilar and the others decided to rob instead of pay the victim. As the victim tried to drive away, Aguilar shot a gun into the passenger side of the victim's vehicle, officials said.

One of the bullets hit the victim in the back -- collapsing his lung and permanently paralyzing him, officials said.

Officials said the victim has quadriplegia, which is paralysis affecting all four limbs of the body and the torso.

After the shooting, Aguilar denied involvement when law enforcement interviewed him, the news release said. Investigators later found social media messages where Aguilar admitted he shot the victim while trying to rob him. He also said he admitted to it during jail calls.

Aguilar was first charged as a juvenile but later agreed to be prosecuted and sentenced as an adult, according to the news release. He pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by threats and violence.

After his prison release, he'll be subject to three years of supervised release.