Man Sentenced 18 Years for Fatal Attack on Teen Perceived as Gay

A man involved in the beating and stomping death of a teenager perceived to be gay has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown says 21-year-old Alex Velez pleaded guilty to manslaughter in April following a hate crime prosecution.

Eighteen-year-old Anthony Collao of Bethpage on Long Island had just left a party with another person in March 2011 when the attackers chased them.

Callao was thrown to the ground and beaten. He died two days later. Police recovered a bloody metal pipe and a piece of fencing.

Police said the suspects made anti-gay slurs and scrawled on a wall with red markers after crashing the party.

Three other defendants previously were sentenced to prison. Two more are awaiting trial.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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