Jury seating area - file photo.
Jury seating area - File Photo.

East Harlem gunmen sentenced to decades in prison for fatal 2023 shooting

Posted by
1 min read
November 6, 2025

NEW YORK, NY – Two Bronx men who coordinated a deadly East Harlem shooting that killed a father of two have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms following guilty pleas.

Xavier Baez, 25, received a 16-year sentence, while 21-year-old William Cartagena was ordered to serve 22 years to life in state prison for the September 2023 murder of 34-year-old Akebulon Reeves.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Reeves’ killing was a “sudden and horrific act of gun violence” that showed “no regard for human life.”


Key Points

  • Two Bronx men sentenced for the 2023 murder of Akebulon Reeves in East Harlem
  • Prosecutors say the pair coordinated a scooter drive-by attack in broad daylight
  • Cartagena pleaded guilty to murder, Baez to manslaughter, both arrested a week later

East Harlem ambush caught victims by surprise

Prosecutors said Reeves was standing with a small group outside a building near East 119th Street and 3rd Avenue around 10:05 a.m. on September 13, 2023, when Baez and Cartagena pulled up on a black motorized scooter. Cartagena allegedly jumped off, approached the group, and opened fire, hitting Reeves multiple times in the chest and torso. Reeves was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Defendants fled through Central Park and into the Bronx

After the shooting, Cartagena rejoined Baez on the scooter and the two sped toward northern Central Park. Surveillance footage later showed them discarding hoodies before fleeing to the Bronx. Hours later, Baez removed the discarded clothing from the scooter’s storage compartment. Both men were arrested one week later on September 20.

DA praises investigators and prosecutors for swift work

Assistant District Attorney Patrick Nelligan led the prosecution under the supervision of senior officials in the Manhattan DA’s Trial Division. Bragg credited NYPD Detective Taylor Young of the 25th Precinct Detective Squad and the Detective Bureau’s Manhattan North Video Team for their investigative efforts.

Defendants face decades behind bars

Court records show Baez pleaded guilty on September 16 to first-degree manslaughter, a class B felony, while Cartagena pleaded guilty a day later to second-degree murder, a class A-I felony. Both were sentenced this week in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Bragg said the outcome reflects his office’s ongoing commitment to addressing gun violence across New York City, adding that “justice has been delivered for Mr. Reeves and his loved ones.”

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Shore News Network

Follow us for real-time news updates across New Jersey.

Related news