In a court session held in Kingman, a Las Vegas resident faced sentencing for her involvement in a tragic incident on the Colorado River in July 2022, resulting in a Jet Ski fatality. Iridian Jasmin Basoco, aged 27, received a five-year prison sentence on Monday after pleading guilty to charges of negligent homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, and misdemeanor boating while intoxicated.
Represented by her attorney, Jack Litwak, Basoco expressed remorse for the events of that fateful day, with Litwak describing her as one of his most regretful clients. He highlighted her profound regret and the significant hardship of being separated from her young son during her incarceration. Litwak also touched upon Basoco’s history of a brain injury and sexual assault, as well as the medication she required for her well-being.
During the proceedings, Basoco offered a sincere apology for her actions, vowing to make amends. Testimonials from her fiancé and a friend further attested to her character.
Chief Deputy Mohave County Attorney, James Schoppmann, revealed that the victims involved had no objections to the plea agreement, emphasizing their primary concern for restitution to cover medical expenses, totaling over $36,500.
Superior Court Judge Lee Jantzen, acknowledging Basoco’s lack of prior criminal offenses but also recognizing the emotional toll on the victims’ family, handed down a sentence of five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised probation.
It’s worth noting that Basoco had previously entered a guilty plea to the same charges, but the plea agreement was rejected by two other judges who deemed the proposed sentence too lenient, considering the original manslaughter charge and three assault charges.
The tragic incident occurred when Basoco, operating a Jet Ski at high speed in Bullhead City’s Community Park on July 4, 2022, lost control of the watercraft. The Jet Ski veered into a designated swimming area, fatally striking Ricardo Aponte Almanza and injuring another swimmer. Subsequently, Basoco collided with two individuals seated on the beach.
Ricardo Aponte Almanza, aged 43 and from Corona, Calif., tragically passed away on July 6, 2022, at a Las Vegas hospital. Another individual from Los Angeles was treated and discharged from a Las Vegas hospital, while two others from Bakersfield, Calif., and Los Angeles respectively, received treatment and were released from a Bullhead City hospital.
During the investigation, a bag allegedly containing several pills was discovered in Basoco’s life jacket. Subsequent blood tests revealed the presence of Alprazolam (Xanax), Oxycodone, and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in her system.
