Latin Kings Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for 2023 Attempted Murder & Intent to Sell Fentanyl
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Latin Kings gang member was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for the attempted murder of a perceived enemy of the gang in Westbury in January 2023 and the possession of more than 200 fentanyl pills upon his arrest.
Elijah Giron, 21, was convicted on February 27, 2024, after a jury trial before Judge Howard Sturim, of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (a B violent felony), two counts of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the First Degree (a B violent felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (a B felony), Attempted Assault in the First Degree (a C violent felony), two counts of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the Second Degree (a C violent felony), two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C violent felony), Criminal Possession of a Firearm (an E felony), and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree (an A misdemeanor).
The trial started on Thursday, February 22, 2024. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before delivering their verdict.
The defendant was sentenced today to 20 years in prison. NCDA recommended a sentence of 34 years in prison.
“Elijah Giron – a known Latin Kings member – hunted down and tried to kill a man because of social media posts that called out the gang for being responsible for causing a fentanyl overdose,” said DA Donnelly. “When Giron was arrested, he was carrying more than 200 homemade pressed fentanyl pills in his sock disguised to look like oxycodone. The Latin Kings are known dealers of dangerous fentanyl in communities throughout Nassau County and my office continues to investigate their illicit drug operation. Today’s sentencing sends a message to the gang and anyone who would deal this poison on our streets: you will be caught, and you will be prosecuted.”
DA Donnelly said that on January 9, 2023, at approximately 11:17 p.m. on South Fulton Street in Westbury, defendant Elijah Giron stepped out of the driver’s seat of a Dodge Challenger and fired four rounds from a 9 mm pistol towards a person standing outside a different vehicle. The victim was not struck by the bullets. The defendant then fled the scene.
Giron and the victim, a perceived enemy of the Latin Kings gang, were in an argument on social media related to a fentanyl overdose that had occurred.
On January 20, 2023, members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Gang Investigations Squad arrested the defendant.
While searching Giron, 200 pills were recovered from the defendant’s sock and three pills were recovered from his waistband.
Upon testing it was revealed that the pills – which were pressed to look like prescription pain medications – were in fact fentanyl pills.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Joseph Grasso and Assistant District Attorney Victoria Kharlamenko of the County Court Trial Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Ali Ajamu and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Litigation Division Kevin Higgins. The defendant is represented by Jason Russo, Esq.