 In a somber courtroom proceeding on Tuesday, Giovanni Ceja, a former sheriff’s corporal from Texas, entered a guilty plea to the charge of second-degree murder for the hit-and-run death of Gilberto Sotelo, a Lake Elsinore father. Ceja’s admission of guilt came as part of a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, leading to his immediate sentencing to 15 years to life in state prison.
The tragic incident, which took place on the shoulder of Interstate 215, ended in the untimely death of Sotelo, leaving the community and his family grappling with the loss. Ceja, 31, was extradited from Texas to Riverside County in September, facing charges for his role in the fatal crash. The plea deal also resulted in the dismissal of a related charge of hit-and-run resulting in death and a sentence-enhancing allegation of fleeing the scene.
Presiding over the case, Superior Court Judge Gary Polk certified the terms of the plea agreement, finalizing Ceja’s sentence as stipulated by both the prosecution and defense.
