A New Mexico judge on Monday ordered "Rust" movie weapons handler Hannah Gutierrez to serve 18 months in prison — the maximum sentence — for her role in the accidental shooting death of the western film's cinematographer two and a half years ago in New Mexico.

In March, a Santa Fe, New Mexico, jury found Gutierrez, 26, guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Halyna Hutchins' death during a rehearsal for a scene with Alec Baldwin, who was pointing his prop gun at her when it discharged. Prosecutors have alleged that Gutierrez brought the live ammunition to the film's set and loaded it into Baldwin's gun.

At an emotional sentencing hearing Monday, in the same Santa Fe courtroom where Gutierrez's trial unfolded, friends of Hutchins described her joy, generosity, determination and talent — and their sorrow by her death. The testimony, including from her family in Ukraine, underscored the on-set safety lapses that led to the fatal accident and the profound loss felt by friends, family members and fellow filmmakers.

Gutierrez, wearing a prison jumpsuit, sobbed at times during Monday's hearing. She asked the judge to sentence her to probation, rather than jail time for the felony conviction and said the media had painted her as "a monster" rather than the naive and inexperienced crew member trying her best. She said that she was sorry.

But New Mexico 1st District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer was not swayed, saying Gutierrez has shown little remorse.

"You were the armorer, the one that stood between a safe weapon and a weapon that could kill someone," Marlowe Sommer told Gutierrez. "You alone turned a safe weapon into a lethal weapon. But for you, Ms. Hutchins would be alive, a husband would have his partner and a little boy would have his mother."

The October 2021 shooting shined a harsh light on film set safety, particularly on low-budget productions. The case drew worldwide attention, in large part, because of Baldwin's stature in Hollywood and as a political lightning rod. Baldwin also has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and his trial is scheduled for July in Santa Fe. He has pleaded not guilty.

Gutierrez and her team have long asserted that she was unfairly bearing the brunt of the blame for the accident when others shared responsibility for on-set safety lapses. Hours before the fatal shooting, "Rust" camera crew members had walked off the job to protest safety concerns and a lack of nearby housing.

Gutierrez had little experience; "Rust" was just her second job as head armorer.

"Film producers are responsible to ensure the cast and crew members hired are experienced enough to handle their jobs," Hutchins' agent, Craig Mizrahi, said Monday during Monday's hearing, which was televised by Court TV.

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