MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Westbury man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison plus 3 years post release supervision for assaulting and robbing a former roommate.
Wilson Garcia, 20, was convicted by a jury on Oct. 3, 2016, of two counts of assault in the 1st degree (a B violent felony), two counts of robbery in the 1st degree (a B violent felony), one count of robbery in the 2nd degree (a C violent felony), two counts of assault in the 2nd degree (a D violent felony), robbery in the 3rd degree (a D felony) and criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree (an A misdemeanor).
“This defendant robbed and brutally stabbed his former roommate in the head and left him for dead," DA Singas said. “Today’s sentence ensures that this defendant will be off the streets and behind bars for many years, and I’m grateful to the Nassau Police Department and our prosecutors for their outstanding work on this case.”
DA Singas said on November 10, 2015 that Garcia, nicknamed Peligro, was with the victim in a home on Prospect Avenue in New Cassel. Garcia – who used to live with the victim and work with him as a day laborer – demanded money for crack-cocaine from the then 35-year old man. The victim had a $100 bill that he needed for personal use and told the defendant that he would give him whatever money he had left over after spending the money on himself. However, the defendant then pulled out a large knife, stabbed the victim in the head – striking his right temple, took the $100 bill out of the victim’s pocket and threw him down a basement staircase. The defendant then left the victim for dead at the bottom of the staircase.
The victim managed to crawl out of the stairwell and across the street where a good Samaritan called 911. He was taken to Nassau University Medical Center where he received stitches and staples in his head and was able to tell police officers that the defendant assaulted him. He has since recovered from his injures which included a severed artery.
The defendant was arrested by members of the Nassau County Police Department on November 12, 2015.
Assistant District Attorney Brittany Gurrieri and Deputy Bureau Chief Christiana McSloy of the Special Operations, Narcotics & Gangs Bureau prosecuted the case. Garcia is represented by Meredith Bettenhauser, Esq.