BROOKLYN, NY – Jiaxi “Jimmy” Liu, operator of Sunset Park construction firm WSC Group Inc., has been sentenced to two to four years in prison for causing the death of construction worker Luis Sanchez Almonte. The victim was buried under thousands of pounds of debris after an excavation wall collapsed.
Liu was convicted in a bench trial in March on charges including criminally negligent homicide and fraudulent practices in violation of worker’s compensation laws. The sentence was announced by Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in partnership with city agencies.
The incident occurred on September 12th, 2018, when a support of an excavation system and masonry wall collapsed at a construction site in Sunset Park. The collapse trapped Almonte, 47, whose body could not be recovered until the following day due to unstable conditions.
Evidence revealed that Liu and the site’s foreman, Wilson Garcia, ignored safety warnings from both workers and adjacent property owners. The duo also failed to comply with safety regulations and design plans approved by the Department of Buildings and Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Garcia, who was convicted of fourth-degree criminal mischief, is awaiting his sentence scheduled for October 18th. Two other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
District Attorney Gonzalez emphasized that the incident was a preventable tragedy resulting from a disregard for safety protocols and warnings. The sentencing aims to hold those accountable who jeopardize workers’ safety.