SURVIVOR’S COURAGE LEADS TO JUSTICE
GOLDEN, Colo. (Aug. 11, 2026) – Jefferson County District Court Judge Phillip McNulty sentenced Benjamin Isaiah Lovato, 20, to 32 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for a violent attack on his former girlfriend during a home invasion in March 2024.
More than two years after the assault, and just two weeks before the third scheduled trial date, Lovato pleaded guilty on June 12, to First Degree Assault, First Degree Burglary (Crime of Violence), and Aggravated Retaliation Against a Witness or Victim. As a result of his plea, the parties stipulated to a sentence of between 20-40 years in prison.
At the sentencing hearing on July 23, Deputy District Attorney Holly Spease urged the Court to impose the maximum sentence of 40 years. Spease outlined a pattern of abuse, intimidation, and retaliatory actions, culminating in a violent assault by Lovato against his former girlfriend, who was only sixteen at the time, in response to her decision to report Lovato’s abuse to law enforcement and testify in court.
On March 12, 2024, Lovato and two armed accomplices entered an Arvada home through a bedroom window where several people, including an infant, were present. Wearing masks and gloves, and armed with handguns, the suspects held the occupants at gunpoint while Lovato carried out a violent assault on the victim. The attack, which was recorded by one of the accomplices, showed the victim being repeatedly pistol-whipped, punched and dragged by the hair.
After the suspects fled, the occupants contacted law enforcement, and the victim was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
The victim sustained multiple injuries, including facial lacerations, a fractured cheekbone, and several loose teeth; injuries that continue to require ongoing medical care.
“This was truly an evil attack,” Spease told the Court, emphasizing that the only motive was revenge against the victim, who had met Lovato at the age of 15 and recently reported being a victim of domestic violence.
Spease highlighted that evidence gathered by police showed Lovato circulated the video footage of the attack and was “bragging about what he did to her,” repeatedly referring to her as a “rat.”
Spease argued that Lovato poses a significant threat to community safety and to the integrity of the justice system, noting, “He is not afraid of law enforcement or the consequences, and if released in less than forty years, he will do this again.” Lovato was already on probation at the time of this attack and has a documented history of violence.
The prosecution further detailed Lovato’s repeated statements while in custody over the past two years, indicating intentions to further retaliate against the victim and even referring to the permanent disfigurement he caused as “badass.”
The victim, now eighteen, attended sentencing and submitted a statement reflecting on the lasting impact of the abuse and her resilience:
“For a really long time, I carried so much guilt and felt so stupid for staying as long as I did, wasting years of my life thinking that if I just loved him enough, he would finally change…I spent years living in absolute survival mode, completely exhausted because I always had to look over my shoulder, wondering what he was going to do next…He tried his absolute best to completely ruin me, to break my spirit, and to erase the person I was, but he completely failed. I am a totally transformed person today. I survived the worst of it, I found my voice, and I have built boundaries so strong that I will never, ever let another human being belittle me or make me feel small again.”
Before imposing his sentence, Judge McNulty commended the victim’s courage, stating, “You have shown a great deal of courage. Only when victims come forward can we have justice.” Judge McNulty described the attack as “incredibly violent,” emphasizing that a substantial prison sentence was necessary not only for accountability, but also to deter similar acts of violence, promote respect for the judicial system, and protect victims who report crimes.
The court sentenced Lovato to:
- 12 years in the Department of Corrections for First Degree Assault;
- 12 years for First Degree Burglary, to be served consecutively; and
- 8 years for Aggravated Retaliation Against a Witness or Victim, also to be served consecutively,
TOTAL: 32 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Statement from Chief Deputy District Attorney Ali Brady:
“This case was about far more than a single night of violence. It was about a victim, a child, who refused to be silenced despite repeated attempts to intimidate her. The courage she’s shown by breaking the cycle of violence is truly remarkable. Her strength in coming forward not only brought justice in this case but inspires hope for others facing similar challenges. We are deeply grateful to her, the Arvada Police Department, and the RAVEN Task Force who worked tirelessly to hold Mr. Lovato accountable.”