Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a North Bellmore man was convicted by a jury of assault in the stabbing of a 21-year-old stranger during a St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl event in March 2023.
Martin Carpio, 36, was convicted today after a trial before Judge Robert A. Schwartz of Assault in the First Degree (a B violent felony) and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (an A misdemeanor).
The defendant was acquitted of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (a B violent felony) and two counts of Attempted Assault in the Third Degree (a B misdemeanor).
The trial began on May 20, 2024, and the jury deliberated for six days before delivering their verdict. The defendant faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced on August 9, 2024.
“After an early-morning argument spilled out onto the streets of Farmingdale, Martin Carpio escalated the fight, in just seconds flipping open a three-and-a-half-inch blade and targeting the victim with deadly physical force,” said DA Donnelly. “Carpio aggressively swung his knife twice into the 21-year-old victim’s chest, puncturing the young man’s lung and diaphragm and leaving him mere minutes from death. Then as the victim stood clutching his chest, the defendant callously taunted him about what he had done. We thank the jury for their service and for holding this defendant accountable for his violence.”
DA Donnelly said that on March 4, 2023, the victim along with several friends attended an event called “LepreCon,” a St. Patrick’s Day bar crawl on Main Street in Farmingdale.
The four friends decided to end their night at The Dominican Restaurant 4 at 305 Main Street with drinks and food. They met more friends at the restaurant, including a mother, father, and their two daughters, aged 21 and 15. The family had been out celebrating a birthday.
At approximately 1:50 a.m. on March 5, 2023, the defendant and a friend entered the restaurant. The defendant approached the 15-year-old girl, grabbed her arm, and made advances on her.
An argument ensued between the girl’s father and the defendant and Carpio punched the man in the throat.
The group of friends pushed the defendant back and attempted to get him to leave. Carpio then punched the victim in the face.
The victim, his friends, and the restaurant’s security personnel then pushed the defendant out of the restaurant, and he fell to the sidewalk.
During a scrum with multiple individuals outside, the defendant pulled out a knife.
Carpio was knocked to the ground by one of the victim’s friends, got up with the knife in his hand and began pursuing the victim, despite the victim backing away with his palms up in front of him.
Carpio’s friend then punched the victim in the back of the head from behind and moments later the defendant grabbed the victim’s shirt collar and swung his knife, stabbing the young man twice in the upper left rib cage.
As he stabbed the victim with the three-and-a-half-inch blade, Carpio said, “I just stabbed you, b-tch.”
The victim was taken to Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) with a collapsed lung, punctured spleen and diaphragm, and a fractured rib. Immediate medical intervention was necessary to save the victim’s life.
Carpio was arrested in Farmingdale on March 5, 2023, by members of the Nassau County Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Grasso and Alexa Mirotznik of the County Court Trial Bureau. The defendant is represented by James Toner, Esq. and Angelo Picerno, Esq.