Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced Wednesday, Nov. 30, that five members of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang have pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the June 20, 2018, fatal stabbing of “Lesandro Junior” Guzman-Feliz.

 

In the context of the announcement, Clark said the defendants’ actions culminated in the brutal attack on Junior. “They, along with seven other defendants, have been held accountable in the killing of the 15-year-old boy which horrified The Bronx and beyond. Since Junior was taken from his family, we have been relentless to attain justice for him.” She added, “These defendants will be sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12-15 years for their roles in this horrendous tragedy.”

 

Twelve people were initially charged in July 2018 in connection to the case. A 14th suspect was later charged in Sept. 2018. In July 2022, as reported, two leaders of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang were found guilty of second degree murder.

 

Clark said the defendants, Ronald Urena, Luis Cabrera Santos, 29, Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 30, and Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 26, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on Nov. 30, 2022, before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. Jose Tavarez, 26, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on Nov. 16, 2022, before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. Santos will be sentenced on Jan. 10, 2023, and the other four defendants are scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 13, 2023.

According to the plea agreements, Urena will be sentenced to 15 years in prison, five years post release supervision with waiver of right to appeal; Santos, Concepcion and Pacheco will be sentenced to 12 years in prison and five years post release supervision, waiver of right to appeal; and Tavarez to 15 years in prison, 13 for the manslaughter conviction and two years for a separate gun case, and five years post release supervision and waiver of right to appeal.

 

According to the investigation, on the night of June 20, 2018, Diego Suero, the leader of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang, and Frederick Then, second-in-command, summoned members to Suero’s home and ordered them to commit violence against another set of the Trinitarios called “Sunset.”

 

The five defendants were part of a group that travelled in four cars, and came upon Junior, who fled from them, running about four blocks to a bodega in Belmont, where he tried to hide. According to the investigation the defendants were then seen in surveillance footage from the store cameras entering the bodega, and dragging the victim out of the store as he fought for his life. Once Junior was taken outside, five other defendants repeatedly stabbed and slashed him with knives and a machete in the neck and body.

 

Suero and Then were found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury and were sentenced on Sept. 16, 2022 by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus to 25 years to life in prison. Five gang members were convicted by a jury of hacking Junior to death and were sentenced to prison on Oct. 11, 2019 by then-Bronx Supreme Court Justice Robert Neary.

 

Jonaiki Martinez Estrella was sentenced to life without parole for first-degree murder. Jose Muniz, Elvin Garcia and Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago were sentenced to 25 years to life for first-degree murder. Manuel Rivera was sentenced to 23 years to life for first-degree murder.

 

The case was prosecuted by assistant district attorney, Morgan Dolan, counsel in the Homicide Bureau, under the supervision of Christine Scaccia, chief of the Homicide Bureau, and under the overall supervision of James Brennan, deputy chief of the Trial Division, and Theresa Gottlieb, chief of the Trial Division.

 

Some friends of Junior’s spoke to Norwood News about his legacy on the first anniversary of his death in 2019. A street renaming in his honor had taken place earlier that year.

 

One remaining defendant in the case has not plead guilty, and he is going to trial. Daniel Fernandez’s next appearance in court is Dec. 13. A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.