A man accused of violently assaulting his partner and the mother of his child in October 2018 has been sentenced to 24 years in prison, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday afternoon.
Reo Contreras pleaded guilty to first-degree assault for strangling the woman, who, according to a news release from the DA’s office, sustained a life-threatening dissected carotid artery in the attack. The assault was reported by a friend of the victim’s, according to the release.
“This was the third time he had strangled her since March 2018 and it happened only weeks after he was convicted of the prior assaults and previously sentenced to domestic violence treatment,” the DA’s office stated in the release.
During prosecution, members of the Longmont Police Department and District Attorney’s Victim Advocate Unit "worked tirelessly to aid and protect the victim," the release stated, and their work "led directly to evidence that created a compelling case against the defendant and caused him to plead guilty.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Ryan Day in the release stated, “Strangulation is one of, if not the, most violent and brutal forms of assault. Research shows that it often precedes homicide in the domestic violence context. I’m grateful to the victim’s friend for reporting this assault and to the Longmont Police Department for its efforts to hold the defendant accountable. They likely saved the victim’s life. Cases like this serve as a powerful reminder that Boulder County law enforcement is full of dedicated people who work hard to protect our community and victims.”
