FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A man who pleaded guilty to killing a Hollywood Police officer will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Jason Banegas was formally sentenced on Wednesday in a Broward County courtroom by Judge Ernest A. Kollra for the killing of Officer Yandy Chirino in 2021.
“On count one, the sentence is life imprisonment,” said the judge.
Additionally, Kollra added nearly 200 years to Banegas’ sentence for six counts of burglary and other remaining charges.
After learning his sentence, Banegas told the judge he did not want to speak about it.
The sentencing day came nearly five years after Banegas, who was 18 years old at the time, shot Chirino in the face during a struggle after officers responded to reports of a suspicious person near North Hills Drive in Hollywood.
Chirino was just 28 years old when he was gunned down.
Last December, a jury spared the defendant the death penalty, deciding to move forward with life in prison without the possibility of parole.
During Wednesday’s sentencing, Chirino’s law enforcement colleagues showed support for the victim and his family.
“We can all take a little comfort in knowing that he is never going to take a breath of free air again,” said Hollywood Police Chief Jeffrey Devlin. “It is a difficult time for the Chirino family, so we can return our focus on them, helping them heal, helping them get through this, and fulfilling the promise to never forget Yandy.”
Devlin said he was happy to see Banegas behind bars for the rest of his life.
“It’s my belief, and it’s our belief, that anytime someone murders a police officer, they deserve the maximum penalty by law, which is the death penalty. We respect the jury’s decision, but we are grateful for the judge’s decision today,” he said.
Earlier this year, Banegas suffered a court defeat when the judge denied his request to vacate his guilty plea. The defendant said he had been wrongly advised by his attorneys.
Following Wednesday’s decision, the defendant has a month to appeal the judge’s sentencing.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.