Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Jury Finds Five Gang Members Guilty in Slaying of Young NYPD Explorer

Five gang members were convicted of first-degree murder Friday for killing a 15-year-old aspiring New York Police Department officer on the night of June 20, 2018.

June 17, 2019
Jury Finds Five Gang Members Guilty in Slaying of Young NYPD Explorer

NYPD Police Explorer Lesandro Guzman-Feliz was 15 when he was killed by five men who mistook him for a rival gang member.

Credit:

Photo: NYPD

2 min to read


Five gang members were convicted of first-degree murder Friday for killing a 15-year-old aspiring New York Police Department officer on the night of June 20, 2018.

A Bronx jury deliberated for just eight hours over two days before convicting the five alleged members of the Los Sures set within the Trinitarios gang for first-degree murder, second-degree murder, conspiracy, and gang assault. The verdict came just six days before the first anniversary of Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz's savage slaying in a mistaken identity killing, reports the New York Daily News.

Ad Loading...

All face life without parole for dragging the teen from a Bronx bodega and fatally stabbing him with a machete and knives as he begged for mercy. The killers were looking to exact payback on a rival gang when they wrongly went after Guzman-Feliz, who was a member of the NYPD's Explorers program and hoped to become a police detective.

"I'm not going to have my son back, but those killers, those murderers, they're not going to be outside killing other kids," said Leandra Feliz. "My son was a good kid, he was only 15 years old ... He was a really good kid. He'd never been in any trouble in his life until those kids murdered (him)."

The first-degree murder conviction meant the jury determined that Junior was tortured before his tormentors finally killed him.

Sentencing was set for July 16, with Junior's older brother Manny Ortiz hopeful that all five will receive the maximum jail terms.

More Patrol

image of trooper, shown from waist down, standing beside a police cruiser along the road and at right a headline Slow Down Move Over.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis

The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.

Read More →
Image of a group of men in business attire receiving an award set against a black background and a Streamlight logo up top.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

Read More →
Image of a group of men in business attire receiving an award set against a black background and a Streamlight logo up top.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year

Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
DArk backgroundn with inset images of a fallen police officer and a ballistic helmet and headline Rife-Rated.
PatrolMarch 19, 2026

The Mission After the Moment

The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.

Read More →
Promotional graphic for Patrolfinder featuring a police chief’s headshot inside a circular frame alongside a police SUV in the background. The headline reads: “Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture.”
SponsoredMarch 17, 2026

Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture

Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.

Read More →
Man in a blue blazer lifting his shirt to reveal a concealed handgun in a waistband holster while standing outdoors.
SponsoredMarch 2, 2026

Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty

What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Woman kneeling with a Bloodhound in front of a white pickup truck.
PatrolMarch 1, 2026

K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons

Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.

Read More →
Black background with image of police car light bar, logo for POLICE Topics, Tactics & Tips, and headline What are the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical?
Patrolby Wayne ParhamFebruary 25, 2026

Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup

In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.

Read More →
Person in protective CMRN suit and breathing gear.
PatrolFebruary 18, 2026

Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit

With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Sky background with logos for Versatern and Aloft
PatrolFebruary 18, 2026

Versaterm Acquires Aloft to Unlock a New Era of Drones for Public Safety

Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.

Read More →