Two men were found guilty on second degree-murder charges Friday in connection to Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz's death, according to the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
According to Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, Diego Suero and Frederick Then, who the Bronx DA said were leaders of the "Los Sures" set of the Trinitarios gang, were found guilty after a four-week trial before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus.
They each face 25 years to life in prison when they are sentenced on Sept. 16.
Junior, who was 15 years old, was dragged out of a Bronx bodega and killed on June 20, 2018. Prosecutors believe it was a case of mistaken identity.
“We said we would attain justice for Junior and this verdict does that, and hopefully brings some consolation to his family who have endured so much pain,” Clark said in a statement.
According to Bronx DA’s office, on the night of the murder, Suero, 33, of the Bronx, and Then, 24, of Reading, Pennsylvania, called members to Suero’s home and ordered the members to “commit violence” against another set of the Trinitarios called “Sunset.”
Prosecutors said the members chased Junior approximately four blocks to a bodega on East 183rd St and Bathgate Ave. Then watched the attack unfold from a short distance away and called Suero afterwards to inform him that the members followed the orders, according to prosecutors.
The group, led by Then, then left the scene and returned to Suero’s home to hide weapons, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also alleged that one of the Trinitarios told Suero in a message, “You are the one that gave the light for the kid…" and Suero replied, “Yes, for all of Sunset.”
According to the Bronx DA’s office, Suero was seen on surveillance video on a different day after the attack “paying for, and waiting with, one of the convicted co-defendants to get his hair dyed in an effort to conceal the man’s identity.”
In 2019, five men who prosecutors said were members of Los Trinitarios were convicted in connection with Junior’s death.
Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, who prosecutors said stabbed Junior in the neck, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Three others, Jose Muniz, Elvin Garcia and Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, received sentences of 25 years to life in prison.
Manuel Rivera got 23 years to life, which Judge Robert Neary called a sentence of mercy since he was 18 years old at the time of the murder.