(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Anthony Gutierrez Meza, 25, of Valley Stream, was sentenced to 22 years in prison after pleading guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree, for his involvement in the death of 18-year-old Estiven Abrego Gomez Roman in August 2016.
“There is no reason in the world that could ever be given to justify why this young man’s life was taken from him,” said District Attorney Tierney. “While this sentence may not be equivalent of the lifetime he stole from his victim, it is a sentence that is deserved given the nature of his violent crime.”
According to the investigation and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, on August 19, 2016, Gutierrez Meza lured the victim, Estiven Abrego Gomez, out of his home by Facebook messaging the victim asking to meet up to smoke marijuana. Gutierrez Meza, a member of the Normandy clique of Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS-13), had previously requested permission to kill the victim, which was granted by a higher-ranking MS-13 gang member who did not participate in the attack.
In the early morning hours of August 20, 2016, the victim entered Greenlawn Park with Gutierrez Meza and another co-conspirator. Moments later, more co-conspirators then entered the park walking towards the direction of the victim. The victim attempted to run away but was punched by one of the co-conspirators, causing the victim to fall to the ground.
Gutierrez Meza and the other co-conspirators proceeded to take turns hitting the victim with the bat, stabbing, and slicing him with the knives, and chopping at him with the machete until they were satisfied that he was dead. The victim’s injuries were so severe, both of his hands were nearly amputated. The defendants then fled the scene and left the victim in the park.
Suffolk County Police Department Homicide Squad Detectives conducted an extensive investigation and subsequently arrested Gutierrez Meza, and charged him with the murder of the victim.
On May 30, 2023, Gutierrez Meza pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Timothy P. Mazzei. Judge Mazzei sentenced Gutierrez Meza to 22 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. Gutierrez Meza was represented by Ian Fitzgerald, Esq.
This case was prosecuted by Deputy Bureau Chief Kathleen Kearon of the District Court Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Pamela J. Bloomfield of the Major Crime Bureau, with investigative assistance from Suffolk County Police Department Homicide Detective Christopher Calvacca.