Rafael Antonio Torres, a 21-year-old from West Jordan, Utah, has been sentenced to ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his involvement in a shooting that resulted in the deaths of two individuals. The sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball and represents the mandatory minimum sentence under the law.
Torres was initially charged in March 2024 after admitting to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. The incident occurred on January 31, 2023, when Torres and a relative met with a potential buyer for THC vape cartridges at an apartment complex parking lot in Taylorsville. Police responded to reports of gunfire and found two deceased men inside a vehicle that had crashed into a snowbank. Witnesses identified Torres as fleeing from the scene.
In statements to police, Torres admitted to being armed and firing at least one shot at the front seat passenger. THC cartridges and firearms were recovered from the vehicle, with forensic tests showing that the deceased men had shot each other. A third firearm belonging to Torres was later found by a citizen.
U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins emphasized the dangers of combining drug trafficking with firearms: "This case is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences... Two young men lost their lives and a third must now be imprisoned." She commended both Taylorsville Police Department and prosecutors for resolving the case.
Detective Kevin Barrett of Taylorsville City Police Department expressed gratitude towards the U.S. Attorney's Office: "We appreciate... giving some sense of justice to the victims’ families and community."
The investigation was conducted by Taylorsville Police Department, while prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities.