Last of remaining defendants plead guilty in murder of Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz
BRONX (WABC) -- A member of the Trinitarios gang has pleaded guilty in the fatal stabbing of Lesandro Junior Guzman-Feliz.
Officials announced the last remaining defendant pleaded guilty on Tuesday.
Danel Fernandez, 25, pleaded guilty to first degree manslaughter for his role in the June 20, 2018 deadly stabbing.
"This is the last of 13 defendants who had a role in the death of Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz to be held accountable," Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said. "Although the defendant did not stab the victim, his actions led to the horrifying death of the innocent teen. He and the other five defendants who already pleaded guilty to Manslaughter will be sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12-18 years in January 2023. This brings an end to the case, but will never bring closure for Junior's grieving family."
He will be sentenced to 18 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision on January 13, 2023.
Officials said Fernandez and the other co-defendants, under the direction of leaders of the "Los Sures" set of the Trinitarios gang, Diego Suero and Frederick Then, conspired to commit violence against the "Sunset" Trinitarios members.
The defendants came upon Junior and chased him to a bodega located on East 183rd Street and Bathgate Avenue. He was mistakenly targeted as a rival gang member.
Fernandez and five others punched and dragged Junior out of the store, where five others attacked him with knives and a machete.
The case sparked nationwide outrage and his mother launched an international social media movement under the hashtag #JusticeForJunior that sought justice for the teen.
The five co-defendants who stabbed Junior were convicted of murder and sentenced in 2019.
Suero and Then were sentenced in September 2022 for orchestrating the attack. The remaining defendants pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter last month.
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