The man who was convicted of shooting and killing a Hollywood police officer in 2021 was sentenced to live in prison without the possibility of parole during his formal sentencing on Wednesday.
Jason Banegas pleaded guilty last October in the shooting death of Officer Yandy Chirino, who was responding to reports of someone breaking into cars at the time of his killing.
During the trial, prosecutors said Chirino spotted Banegas armed with a gun and the two got into a struggle. That’s when Banegas shot Chirino in the face twice.
In December, a jury recommended that he be sentenced to life in prison, avoiding the death penalty.
Then in early 2026, Banegas claimed that his attorneys coerced him into pleading guilty and wanted to change his plea.
A judge denied that request in March, and scheduled his formal sentencing for April 8.
The judge also sentenced Banegas to 41 years in prison for his role in car burglaries to run consecutively with his life in prison sentence.
