Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Wednesday, July 27, that a Bronx man was sentenced to 16 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision for slashing and assaulting six men over two days in August 2020.

 

In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “The defendant brutally attacked six men within two days in unprovoked, senseless acts.  Two of the victims were 65 and 75 years old. Bronx residents have the right to walk freely in their communities without fearing for their safety. This sentencing brings justice for the victims.”

 

According to the investigation, on August 5, 2020, on Baychester Avenue in the Edenwald section of The Bronx, the defendant, JayQawn Byers, 24, slashed Anthony Gibbs, 59, on the left side of his neck and face. The victim’s wound required 24 stitches. Roughly five hours later, on White Plains Road, the defendant approached Michael Solnik, 65, from behind and slashed him on the left side of his neck. The victim received 20 stitches. Around 20 minutes later, Byers approached Danny Estus, 45, who was walking down the street on White Plains Road and slashed him in the neck.

 

According to the investigation, the next day, on August 6, at approximately 6 p.m. on White Plains Road, Byers approached Shamil Mohamed, 40, and slashed him in the neck and mouth. Around 30 minutes later, the defendant approached Jose Baez, 38, on White Plains Road and slashed him in the face. Shortly after that, the defendant approached Ramon Capellan, 75, who was sitting outside on his walker. Byers demanded money from Capellan, then slashed the victim in the neck, face, and arm.

 

Byers was arrested on August 7, 2020. Clark said he was sentenced on July 26, 2022 by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus to 16 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision on each of the six counts of first-degree assault to which he pleaded guilty. The sentences will run concurrently. Byers pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree assault on June 27, 2022.

 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Samantha Miller of Trial Bureau 40 and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Maniscalco, supervisor of the complaint room, under the supervision of Michelle Villaverde, deputy chief of Trial Bureau 40, Aaron Kaplan, chief of Trial Bureau 40, and Catherine Davis, chief of the Grand Jury Unit, and under the overall supervision of James Brennan, deputy chief of the Trial Division, and Theresa Gottlieb, chief of the Trial Division.

 

Clark thanked Assistant District Attorney Andrea Ingenito and Assistant District Attorney Sydney Bertsch, both of Trial Bureau 40, for their assistance with the case.

 

She also thanked NYPD Detectives Robert Regnier, Michael Simpson, Kevin Mockel and Edwin Vega of the 47^th Precinct; NYPD Detective Dwayne Leeshue of the 41^st Precinct, NYPD Detective Robinson Martinez of the 49^th Precinct, and NYPD Detective Jonathan Virtuoso of the 45^th Precinct for their work on the investigation.