Pueblo City Councilman pleads guilty to Columbus vandalism, police release video to KRDO

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Wednesday, a felony criminal mischief charge against a Pueblo City Councilman Vincente Martinez Ortega was dropped after he pled guilty to the crime. Now, police have released video to KRDO showing Martinez Ortega chiseling off brickwork adjacent to the Christopher Columbus statue on Abriendo Ave.

The guilty charge will allow Martinez Ortega to continue serving on the Pueblo City Council.

In November, KRDO learned of pending felony criminal mischief charges levied against Martinez Ortega for damaging city property during a May protest at the Christopher Columbus Statue in Pueblo.

Martinez Ortega originally told 13 Investigates he believed the charge was politically motivated.

“I do want to let the people of Bessemer know that Political Prosecutions still do happen,” said Martinez Ortega in November. “What this shows us is that it is super unfair to folks who get elected, win a position and now they are under such a microscope because of their political activism."

Now, Martinez Ortega will pay just under $4,000 in restitution, serve 100 hours of community service, and be under supervised probation for the next 18 months.

In a video obtained by KRDO, Martinez Ortega is seen damaging brickwork owned by the City of Pueblo adjacent to the Columbus Statue.

The arrest affidavit and newly released video were not initially released by the Pueblo Police Department due to an "active investigation" against Martinez Ortega.

Had Martinez Ortega been convicted of a felony, he would've lost his position.

According to the Pueblo City Charter, an elected official convicted of a felony is required to forfeit their position. "A person who has been convicted of a felony shall not become a candidate for the Council or Mayor," says Section 2-4 of the city charter.