LAKESIDE, Colorado — A young inmate who escaped from a dentist appointment in Lakeside by using an edged weapon to stab a guard last May pleaded guilty on Monday.
Juan Ocegueda, now 18, pleaded guilty in Jefferson County District Court to first-degree assault of a guard while in custody and a crime of violence sentence enhancer. All other counts were dismissed.
He was housed at Platte Valley Youth Services Center in Greeley on May 31, 2022, and was taken to a dental office in Lakeside for a broken bracket on his braces, an arrest affidavit from the Lakeside Police Department says.
During that appointment, he found a "sharp-edged weapon" and used it to stab the guard and then chased an office worker down a hallway before he escaped, the affidavit says.
Ocegueda was in handcuffs and shackles, but the guard removed the handcuff on Ocegueda's right hand so he could use the bathroom, according to the document.
Ocegueda was in the bathroom for about 10 minutes. When he came out, he had a "sharp-edged weapon" about 2 to 3 inches long and almost immediately started to strike the guard, the affidavit says.
The guard told authorities that Ocegueda tried to take his keys to remove his other handcuff and shackles, and stabbed him four times on his forearm, his abdomen and his shoulder, the document reads. When Ocegueda was unable to get the keys, he "took off," according to the affidavit.
A staff member at the dentist's office told authorities that she saw Ocegueda stab and punch the guard and yelled at him to stop, according to the document. Ocegueda then chased her down a hallway with a knife pointed at her, and she escaped through the front door of the dentist's office, the affidavit says.
The guard was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
When asked later whether he checked the bathroom for weapons before Ocegueda went in, the guard said they normally "don't do that," the affidavit says.
Ocegueda was taken into custody later that same day after an hours-long manhunt. He's set to be sentenced on June 30.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Investigations & Crime