Justice for Junior - End of the line for the Trinitarios Gang?

Speaking to a handful of reporters outside the Bronx District Attorney's office (Left): Leandra Feliz and Irene Estrada discuss a meeting with Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. -Photo by David Greene

By David Greene 

Bronx Voice 

November 9, 2022

BRONX - A Bronx mother demanding justice since 2018, when her 15-year-old son was brutally murdered, will be in the courtroom at the end of this month when the final defendants held in connection with the murder of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz will either plead guilty to Manslaughter or face trial.

Leandra Feliz spoke to a handful of journalists outside of the office of the Bronx District Attorney's office, after meeting with District Attorney Darcel Clark, on October 27. Feliz met with Clark after learning that several defendants were offered a plea deal to Manslaughter. Feliz said, "I wish they'd all have the same sentences, but the law is the law and we have to follow the law." 

The broken-hearted mother continued, "They were together in a plan, they know what they went out to do, because they had a meeting before.”

“I appreciate what she has done for me," Feliz said of Clark, "since the beginning of the case. We already had justice for seven of them, so I would like to have the same justice for the remaining seven... but it's not possible by the law.”

Asked by a reporter if the justice system failed her, she replied, "I'd wish for the death penalty for all of them.”

Local activist Irene Estrada, working as an advocate for Feliz, and attended the meeting between Feliz and Clark, said, "What happens is they pinpoint how much activity was involved and because of that they are asking for the plea deal and they're going into court, the jury might say he didn't participate or might have a heart for them and right now people are leaning too much in favor of the criminals rather than the victims.”

Estrada added, "When we first came in, we were very angry. I see how frustrated and angry she (Feliz) is and doesn't understand all of this." But once the issues were explained it brought the two women to “clarity.”

The following day the Bronx District Attorney's office announced that Jonaiki Martinez Estrella, Antonio Rodriguez, Hernandez Santiago, Jose Muniz, Manuel Rivera and Elvin Garcia were indicted on first-degree Murder. An offer was made for a guilty plea to Manslaughter where defendant Daniel Fernandez, would receive 18 years in prison; Luis Cabrera Santos would receive 12 years in prison and Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion 12 years in prison and all five would also be given five years post release supervision.

The Bronx District Attorney also announced an accepted plea deal of Manslaughter to Ronald Urena, who will receive 15 years; Jose Tauares, 15 years, 13 years for Junior's murder and an additional 2-years for a separate gun case; and Danilo Payamos Pacheco, who will receive 12 years in prison, all three men will also be ordered to 5 years post release supervision.

The District Attorney's office noted that all men are due back in court on November 30, if the deals are not accepted, the last trials in the case would begin January 3.