LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Oh'Ryan Brooks, the driver who pleaded guilty in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 12-year-old boy last fall, will serve a minimum of seven years in prison.
Judge Maria Gall passed the sentence in a Clark County courtroom on Monday morning.
FULL HEARING: See inside the courtroom as Judge Gall sentences Oh'Ryan Brooks to prison:
Brooks and his defense had asked the judge for the minimum sentence of two to five years in prison.
"Nothing will bring the victim back; however, there has to be accountability for this crime, and given the circumstances, the proposed five years does not provide the accountability required in this case," Gall said.
She sentenced Brooks to serve seven to 17.5 years in the Nevada Department of Corrections, with credit for 186 days he served in jail while awaiting trial. He will also have to pay nearly $7,000 in restitution.
The plea agreement came with a recommended sentence of two to 20 years in prison. Suarez's mother, Martina, made an impassioned plea for Brooks to serve the maximum sentence.
"Today marks six months since I heard his time of death, and I still hope to wake up from this horrible nightmare one day," Suarez told the court. "Your honor, even though nothing will bring my son back, I ask you to give him the max. Please don't let him get away with killing my son. No child should be killed, especially while going to school. You are our last hope for justice."
Hear Martina Suarez speak in court about the loss of her son and her search for accountability:
When given the opportunity to speak, Brooks claimed he hit Suarez because another car had hit him, cracking his windshield so he couldn't see. The statement prompted both prosecutors and Brooks' attorney to clarify that the claim was not supported by evidence.
"I want to say sorry to the family," Brooks said. "It was a complete accident on what happened that day on October 3, 2025."
Following up: Channel 13's ongoing coverage of the case and plea deal
This is a story Channel 13 has been following for months after Cristofer Suarez was killed while walking to J.D. Smith Middle School on October 3.
Prosecutors allege Brooks was under the influence of marijuana when he hit Suarez, then drove off, leaving the child with fatal injuries.
As part of a plea deal, Brooks admitted to leaving the scene of a crash involving death, a charge that carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in prison.
Channel 13's Alyssa Bethencourt spoke with Cristofer's mother, Martina Suarez, about her loss and what justice looks like for her son.
"This ruined my whole life, and he's going to get out, and he's still going to be young, but I wanted him to hear exactly what he did — him and his family to hear exactly how badly he hurt my son," Suarez said. "To eventually be able to grieve my son correctly and have closure, I need to know, and I need to make sure that I did everything that I could."
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