Columbia man sentenced to three years in prison for 2023 shooting

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was sentenced to three years and 20 days for shooting a man in 2023 at a mobile home off Business Loop 70 in Columbia.

Sean Colton, 23, was found guilty by a Boone County Jury back in October for second-degree assault and armed criminal action. Boone County Judge Kevin Crane sentenced Colton to three years in prison. He will get credit for time served.

"We were arguing for a higher sentence, it was a case that involved violence with a firearm and so we were recommending a longer sentence," Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson said. "But the jury ended up recommending a cap on the judge and so the highest amount the judge could have sentenced him was four years."

Prosecutors claim Colton showed no remorse for the shooting. He allegedly told police he “let bullets fly” to scare off the victim and “didn’t mean to shoot him," according to court documents. Colton shot the victim in the back twice and evidence did not support Colton's claims.

"The victim was shot twice, right in the center of the back and there were other gunshots behind where the victim was to indicate that the defendant actually was shooting at the victim," Johnson said. "Today, in sentencing, the defendant tried to say that he doesn't think at 22 [caliber gun] is dangerous, that he thinks you can shoot somebody and not hurt them with a 22. but that's just really not the fact"

Columbia police arrived at the 1800 block of Business Loop 70 West and found a victim with two gunshot wounds in the upper-right part of their back, according to court documents. Officers also found a red Chevrolet S-10 pickup south of the mobile home with multiple bullet holes, according to the probable cause statement. The victim was brought to University Hospital.

The jury did not hear from the victim, which Johnson says can pose a challenge for prosecutors to move forward with the case.

"A lot of times, people in the community don't realize that we can't put on evidence unless we have a person on the stand who witnessed something that happened," Johnson said. "In this case, the victim was not willing to get on the stand and testify, but there was evidence that was gathered from the police department and from the defendant's statements, where we were able to still go forward with the case."

The victim allegedly told police he lived with Colton for about three months.