A Central Islip man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to fatally shooting another man during an attempted robbery four years ago.
On October 1, 2022, Erick Garcia arranged to meet Carlos Guillen, 19, in a plan devised by Garcia to rob the victim. When Guillen arrived at the location that Garcia selected, the defendant got into the passenger side of the vehicle and attempted to rob Guillen at gunpoint. Guillen accelerated the vehicle and drove off with Garcia still inside. The defendant shot Guillen in the neck at point-blank range and jumped out of the vehicle while it was still in motion.
Guillen attempted to call 911 but was unable to speak during the call. After crashing his vehicle, he was transported to South Shore University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead as the result of the gunshot wound.
Cell phone records placed Garcia’s phone in the area of the crime at the time of the shooting and confirmed that he fled to Florida the following day in an apparent attempt to avoid capture.
On November 10, 2022, approximately one month after the shooting, Garcia was arrested in Central Islip after police found him in possession of an unserialized, loaded nine-millimeter firearm. The gun was not believed to be connected to the October shooting.
On April 11, 2024, Garcia was arrested on homicide charges following an extensive investigation into the fatal shooting.
On July 7, 2026, Garcia pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven A. Pilewski.
Pilewski sentenced Garcia on August 10 to 25 years in prison on the Manslaughter charge and five years on the Criminal Possession of a Weapon charge, followed by five years of post-release supervision. The sentences are to run concurrently.
“The defendant arranged the meeting, brought the gun, and decided to commit a violent robbery, costing a young man his life and causing the family immeasurable grief,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Just a month later, he was found in possession of a loaded unserialized firearm, placing additional lives at risk. Today’s sentence holds him fully accountable for these actions.”