Raul Zamora
Feb. 9, 2018 By Tara Law
A gang member was sentenced yesterday to 13 1/2 years in prison for the 2015 murder of an Elmhurst man in Jackson Heights.
Raul Zamora, 33, of Jackson Heights, pleaded guilty last month to first degree manslaughter for shooting and killing Jorge Manzanarez, 38, around 2:20 p.m. on May 5, 2015.
Zamora, a reputed member of the gang Sureño 13, got into an argument with Manzanarez at the intersection of Whitney and Roosevelt Avenues, according to the Queens District Attorney. Zamora brandished a gun and shot the victim once in the chest.
Manzanarez was taken to a local hospital and died later that day.
“In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that he intentionally took the life of another person and used a gun to settle a petty dispute,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “His actions revealed a total disregard for human life and he must be punished for this senseless killing. The lengthy term of incarceration imposed by the Court today is more than warranted.”
Zamora was sentenced to 13 1/2 years followed by five years’ post release supervision.
A co-defendant, 35-year-old Isaac Martinez, assisted Zamora in the crime, according to District Attorney. He pleaded guilty last year to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and five years’ post release supervision.
A third man, who also allegedly assisted in the crime, remains at large.
One Comment
Street gangs are all over J.H’s , Corona , Elmhurst & East Elmhurst. There should be more police patrol on foot from the 110pct & 115pct. The police needs to get more familiar with the neighborhood. They can’t do that driving around with the window up