Prison sentence stayed for man convicted of 1st-degree manslaughter; jail, probation and community service ordered

The man charged and convicted of first-degree manslaughter for another man’s death in the spring of 2024 will spend less than a year in a correctional facility and multiple years on probation, according to court records.

Earlier this week, court documents show Judge Edward Sheu ordered 39-year-old Pheng Vang’s 103-month (8.5 years) prison sentence to be stayed for five years. Instead, Vang will serve 360 days in a Ramsey County Correctional Facility with 16 days of credit, as well as five years of probation and 100 hours of community service work.

In addition, Vang has been ordered to pay more than $8,200 in restitution and other court-related fees.

As previously reported, a man – later identified as 30-year-old Peter Nguyen – was found unconscious on the sidewalk near Case Avenue and Arcade Street by officers who were patrolling the area. Nguyen was then brought to a hospital, where he died.

A few days later, police announced Nguyen had died from an assault, and his death had been ruled a homicide.

Vang was formally charged the following month with first-degree manslaughter while committing a gross misdemeanor.

According to the complaint, a witness told officers that Nguyen had been assaulted by a male wearing black clothing, and Nguyen had some kind of issue with people who had been attending a birthday party at the bar. The witness then said Nguyen was going to fight another man, but was hit by another man who came up along the side of him.

After reviewing more evidence and witness testimony, Vang was identified as the man who punched Nguyen.

The document goes on to say police brought Vang to their headquarters for an interview, where he told them he was at the bar the same day the assault happened.

According to the criminal complaint, Vang claimed he was starting to leave when an argument began escalating at the corner of Arcade and Case. He added that Nguyen and another man, who Vang said was his family member, were going to fight, so he “walked up to diffuse the situation.”

Vang went on to tell police that he punched Nguyen in the shoulder and face with one blow, adding he thought he was defending his family member. After Nguyen fell down, Vang said he left.