Cousins plead guilty to amended charges in shooting death at Lexington park
Two Lexington men have pleaded guilty to amended charges related to a drug deal that left a teen dead in June 2023.
Emmanuel Contreras, 21, and Arturo Contreras-Mariano, 19, pleaded guilty to charges for the death of 16-year-old Christopher Valdez.
Contreras was originally charged with murder, assault, evidence tampering and trafficking marijuana charges. On April 24, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree manslaughter and trafficking less than eight ounces of marijuana.
His evidence tampering and assault charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal. He faces an eight-year prison sentence.
His cousin, Contreras-Mariano, was originally charged with attempted murder and first-offense possession of a handgun by a minor.
His charges were amended as part of the deal to lesser offenses, including assault under extreme emotional disturbance and second-offense possession of a handgun.
Contreras-Mariano faces 11 years for his charges.
Contreras told police that he and Contreras-Mariano were sitting in a car at Pine Meadows Park when Valdez and a juvenile victim approached them with firearms, according previous detective testimony.
The two were waiting to conduct a drug deal that had been set up through social media, according to police.
Both sides fired at each other, according to testimony.
Detective John Davis said a juvenile witness who lived nearby told officers he saw Valdez run into the woodline of the park.
“With that new information, we were able to locate the deceased into the woodline with a single gunshot to the back,” Davis said.
Davis said police used Flock cameras to track a car involved in the incident to a house in Masterson Station.
They also found Contreras at a residence with his girlfriend, and followed him until they conducted a traffic stop. Contreras made remarks about what happened at the park and was taken to police headquarters for interviews, Davis said.
Contreras told police the juvenile who was with Valdez began firing at him and his cousin first, prompting them to return fire. The sentencing is scheduled for June 24.
