Two gang leaders were sentenced Friday for the murder of Lesandra “Junior” Guzman-Feliz at a Bronx Bodega four years ago, Jessica Cunnington reports.
What to Know
- Five more gang members have pleaded guilty in the brutal machete stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz inside a Bronx bodega in 2018
- Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said each of the men belong to the "Los Sures" set of the Trinitarios gang, the same group that police said carried out the ruthless attack on the 15-year-old Guzman four years ago
- The guilty pleas come just a couple months after two reputed leaders of the Trinitarios gang were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of Guzman-Feliz in a case of mistaken identity that shook a community, and the city, to its core
Five more gang members pleaded guilty in the brutal machete stabbing death of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz inside a Bronx bodega in 2018.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said each of the men belong to the "Los Sures" set of the Trinitarios gang, the same group that police said carried out the ruthless attack on the 15-year-old Guzman four years ago.
All five men copped to first-degree manslaughter, and face up to 15 years in prison.
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The guilty pleas come just a couple months after two reputed leaders of the Trinitarios gang were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the murder of Guzman-Feliz in a case of mistaken identity that shook a community, and the city, to its core.
Diego Suero, 33, and Frederick Then, 24, were both convicted of second degree murder in July for the kill order that ended with Junior's death, which was caught on security cameras.
Guzman's mother, Leandra Feliz, proclaimed at the time "we got justice for Junior" mere moments after watching the two men who orchestrated her son's murder learn their fates.
"We got justice for Junior. We got justice for Junior. Thank God they get what they deserve," Leandra said.
Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz
“We got justice for Junior...Junior's never going to come back from the grave, and they're never [going to] come back to the streets ," Leandra went on to say of the convicted killers.
Suero, prosecutors say, was the leader of the "Los Sures" set of the Trinitarios and gave the order on the night of June 20, 2018 to go out and kill members of "Sunset" — a rival set.
Then, who was second in command, prosecutors say, was at the scene making sure the order was carried out. Fifteen-year-old Junior, who was not a gang member but who the group thought was one, was chased, dragged out of a bodega, stabbed with knives and a machete, and left dying on a street corner.
LLesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz
Video of the brutal killing went viral. It shook the Bronx -- and beyond.
Judge Martin Marcus told Suero and Then during sentencing that even though they did not stab Junior he died because of their order to kill. Marcus went on to tell Then that since he was at the scene, he could’ve taken steps to prevent the killing, but did not.
Seven men are already serving time for murder convictions related to Junior's killing.
