FORMER FUGITIVE CONVICTED IN THE STABBING DEATH OF A LIVERY CAB DRIVER

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a man, who led authorities in an international game of “cat and mouse,” has been convicted of manslaughter in the stabbing death of a 22 year old livery cab driver.

Robin Valentin, 27, formerly of 244 Kingsbridge Road, the Bronx, pled guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the 1st degree, a Class B felony offense, in the death of Jose Gutierrez. Gutierrez was an auxiliary police officer and a senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He was driving a cab in order to pay his tuition.

Acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett set sentencing for Wednesday, June 8, 2005 in Part M60. Under terms of the plea agreement, the Judge will sentence Valentin to serve 22 years in prison with post release supervision for five years.

Gutierrez was pronounced dead at Jacobi Hospital after being stabbed in the neck on April 22, 2001. The fatal confrontation with Valentin and four other people began when the vehicle that Gutierrez was driving accidentally bumped into the motorcycle that belonged to one of Valentin’s co-defendants. Valentin and the others chased Gutierrez and caught up with him at the intersection at Middletown Road and the Bruckner Expressway, where Gutierrez was surrounded when his car stalled. Valentin stabbed the victim once in the neck through the open driver’s side window of the livery cab.

Valentin fled first to the Dominican Republic immediately after the homicide and later to Belgium where he was arrested in November 2003 after eluding authorities for nearly two and a half years. In April 2004, the defendant was extradited to the United States with the assistance of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.

Four other people in addition to Valentin, have been convicted of various offenses in connection with this killing. Densil Vasquez, 24, of 1770 Andrews Avenue, and Fidel Genoa, 25, of 782 Pelham Parkway, pled guilty in May 2004 to 1 count of Reckless endangerment in the 2nd degree. Both are to be sentenced next month. A third co-defendant, Algeny Capellan, 24, of 31 Mosholu Parkway, pled guilty in March 2003, to 1 count of Reckless endangerment in the 1st degree. Capellan, who was also charged in an unrelated indictment with possessing stolen property, was sentenced to time served. In February 2003, a fourth defendant, Alphonso Sanchez, 23, of 185 East 163rd Street, pled guilty to 1 count of Attempted Assault in the 1st degree and was sentenced to a term of three and a half years imprisonment.

Senior Trial Assistant District Attorney Theresa Gottlieb is prosecuting the case.