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December 07, 2022

Season's greetings everyone!

I hope you enjoyed a blessed Thanksgiving. No matter how grim the world may appear to be, there’s always much to be thankful for and I am so grateful to have had time to pause, reflect, and count my blessings. 

Last weekend, I had the honor of joining the loved ones of homicide victims for the annual lighting of the Tree of Angels, when victims are remembered with an angel ornament placed on the holiday tree. This bittersweet tradition was begun 32 years ago by Milagros Guzman, mother of 10-year-old Jessica, who was murdered in 1990. Ms. Guzman decorated a Christmas tree outside her home in memory of her daughter, and later my Office began sponsoring a gathering each December to help survivors grapple with their grief as they acknowledge the holiday season and cherish memories of those taken from them. 

The courage and dignity shown is inspirational. They are the reason we do this work.

In service, 

DA Clark

On Saturday, December 3, our Crime Victims Assistance Bureau held the 12th Annual Tree of Angels event. Families and friends who lost loved ones by homicide gather every year to support each other through the holiday season. The families hang an angel ornament in honor of their loved ones on the tree. By honoring and cherishing the memories of those we lost, we support the families in their healing during one of the most difficult times of the year for them and let them know that we are here to support them always in all ways.

In October, we welcomed 49 new Assistant District Attorneys to our ranks. We believe it is important that our attorneys (some who are not from the Bronx) are informed about many socio-economic issues faced by Bronx residents. As part of their training, we gathered an amazing panel of Bronx leaders to help educate our new attorneys on financial, health and violence issues that victims and defendants are dealing with. Pastor Jay Gooding of Fellowship Tabernacle, Lisa Sorin, the President of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Carmen Rivera of VIP Community Services, and David Caba, Vice President of Good Shepherd Services did an excellent job explaining many of the problems in the Bronx that can be an undercurrent for those committing crimes. We are so fortunate to have them as partners with our Office.

Trinitarios gang members plead guilty in fatal stabbing of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz

Five members of the “Los Sures” set of the Trinitarios gang pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter in the June 20, 2018, fatal stabbing of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz. District Attorney Clark said, “The defendants’ actions culminated in the brutal attack on Lesandro “Junior” Guzman. They along with seven other defendants have been held accountable in the killing of the 15-year-old boy which horrified the Bronx and beyond. Since Junior was taken from his family, we have been relentless to attain justice for him. These defendants will be sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12-15 years for their roles in this horrendous tragedy. The defendants, Ronald Urena, Luis Cabrera Santos, 29, Gabriel Ramirez Concepcion, 30, and Danilo Payamps Pacheco, 26, and jose Tavarez pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter.

Bronx Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Running Fentanyl and Heroin Mill Out of His Home.

On November 18, a Bronx man was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of narcotics charges for running a heroin and fentanyl mill out of his Riverdale home. 

“Fentanyl is killing Bronxites, and destroys the lives of its victims and their families,” said District Attorney Clark. “With this sentencing, there is one less person on our streets selling deadly drugs.”

Gun Trafficker Sentenced to Prison for Selling 73 Firearms to Undercover Officer

On November 16, Shakor Rodriguez, 23, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking 73 weapons and high capacity magazines to the Bronx and Manhattan. The weapons were sold to an undercover NYPD officer. “The illegal influx of guns threatens the safety of Bronxites,” said District Attorney Clark. “I thank our partners at the NYPD for intercepting these guns before they ended up on our streets.”

Bronx Man Indicted for Unprovoked Fatal Stabbing of Straphanger on Subway Platform

On November 7, Saquan Lemons, 27, was indicted on second-degree Murder and additional charges for stabbing a man on a subway platform in Morris Heights. “The father of two, who was on his way home after his work shift at Citi Field, was killed without provocation as horrified commuters watched,” District Attorney Clark said. “We will seek justice for the victim and his family, who lost their loved one because of senseless violence.”

Two years have passed since the killing of newborn twin boys whose bodies were found in a patio area behind a Claremont high-rise building on College Avenue and East 171st Street, and our community continues to mourn. Our Office and the NYPD are committed to finding the person responsible for fracturing the skull of one twin and breaking the arm and ribs of the other and placing them in garbage bags and leaving them at the site. Some BXDA staff attended a vigil to mark the sad anniversary and to keep the case in the public's awareness. There is a $10,000 reward to anyone with information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this crime. 

Last month, DA Clark had the privilege of traveling with Congressman Ritchie Torres, Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson, Rabbi Barry Dov Katz, Sheikh Musa Drammeh and other Bronx leaders to Israel. “I was overwhelmed with emotion visiting the Holocaust Museum, thinking of the horrors people faced as I stared at shoes collected by victims before they were killed at the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz,” DA Clark said. “I learned more about the complexities of the region, and how followers of different world religions, including Christians, Jews and Muslims, are working through their trauma to resolve issues.

We have similarities and struggles that we can learn from. We discussed how we can work together and increase our dialogue with Jewish neighbors whom we serve. I am committed to protecting anyone who makes the Bronx home, fighting against antisemitism, and strengthening relationships with our community partners. This trip continued an important conversation about the connection many in the Bronx have to Israel and addressing prejudice and hate that people face because of religion.”

The Bronx District Attorney’s Office is one of the largest employers in the Bronx. We are committed to pursuing justice with integrity by providing services to victims of crime and prosecuting the accused fairly. Whether you join our legal or professional staff, you will be provided with training, mentorship and opportunities for professional development. The collegial and collaborative environment will provide you with not just a job, but a home for building a career in criminal justice. Check out the wide variety of opportunities– IT, interpreters, digital forensic examiner, and clerical staff–we have available.

Right now, our Community Affairs Unit is looking for people who know, and are passionate about serving, the diverse communities of the Bronx. Staffers work with organizations, kids, schools, small businesses, and get the opportunity to educate Bronxites about the criminal justice system and crime prevention. They serve as the eyes and ears of DA Clark in the community. Join our office!