PAWNEE COUNTY —On MondayAnthony Ruiz-Hernandez, 22 of Topeka, appeared in the Pawnee County District Court for sentencing and entered a guilty plea to one count of attempted first-degree murder in exchange for the State’s dismissal of two counts of conspiracy to commit first degree murder and one count of aggravated battery, according to a media release.

The charge stems from two patient-on-patient attacks on October 22, 2018, that occurred at the Isaac Ray Building on the campus of Larned State Hospital (LSH). Two patients sustained great bodily harm requiring transport to outside medical facilities. One of the patient’s injuries were life-threatening at the time due to severe head trauma. All individuals involved were at LSH at the time for forensic evaluations related to out of county criminal charges. Ruiz-Hernandez told investigators the attacks were done in part to gain standing in a prison gang.

Following statements by counsel, District Judge Bruce Gatterman sentenced Ruiz-Hernandez to the standard sentence of 620 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections and further ordered the defendant to register for a period of 15 years as a violent offender following his release from custody. By law he can earn up to 15% good-time credit.

Ruiz-Hernandez is currently being housed in the Shawnee County Adult Detention Center awaiting sentencing on four counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement with a deadly weapon.

Co-defendant Andres Gustavo Barrientos, 24 of Leavenworth, plead not guilty on March 14, 2019. He is being housed in the Leavenworth County Jail on local charges.