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.
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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.”
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