FORMER INTERNATIONAL FUGITIVE SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IMPRISONMENT IN THE STABBING DEATH OF A LIVERY CAB DRIVER

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that former fugitive Robin Valentin was sentenced to a term of 22 years imprisonment in the stabbing death of livery cab driver Jose Gutierrez in May 2001.

Valentin pled guilty last month to one count of Manslaughter in the 1st degree and admitted that he had caused Gutierrez’ death by stabbing the victim in the neck during a confrontation following a car chase.

Acting State Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett imposed the sentence of 22 years in prison followed by post release supervision for five years after hearing from several relatives of the victim including his mother and sister. Gutierrez was an auxiliary police officer and a senior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice when he was killed. Gutierrez was driving a cab in order to pay his tuition. Judge Barrett also heard from defendant Valentin who expressed remorse to the family of the victim and apologized to his own family for the pain that he has caused.

Gutierrez was stabbed to death on April 22, 2001 during a confrontation with Valentin and four other people after his car accidentally bumped into a motorcycle that belonged to one of Valentin’s co-defendants. Valentin and the others chased Gutierrez and caught up with him at the intersection of Middletown Road and the Bruckner Expressway, where Gutierrez was surrounded after his car stalled. Valentin stabbed Gutierrez once in the neck through the open driver’s side window of the livery cab.

Valentin fled following the homicide and led authorities on an international chase, first to the Dominican Republic and later to Belgium where he was arrested in November 2003. He was extradited to the United States in April 2004 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, each pled guilty in May 2004 to 1 count of Reckless endangerment in the 2nd degree. Both are scheduled to be sentenced June 28, 2005. 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.