A member of the Latin Kings street gang was convicted of attempted murder of his rival.
Elijah Giron, 21, was convicted on February 27 after a jury trial before Judge Howard Sturim, of second-degree attempted murder (a B violent felony), two counts of first-degree criminal use of a firearm (a B violent felony), two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (a B felony), first-degree attempted assault (a C violent felony), two counts of second-degree criminal use of a firearm (a C violent felony), two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (a C violent felony), criminal possession of a firearm (an E felony), and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (an A misdemeanor).
On January 9, 2023, at approximately 11:17 p.m. on South Fulton Street in Westbury, Giron stepped out of the driver’s seat of a Dodge Challenger and fired four rounds from a 9-millimeter pistol towards a person standing outside a different vehicle. The victim was not struck by the bullets. The defendant then fled the scene.
Giron and the victim, a perceived enemy of the Latin Kings gang, were in an argument on social media.
On January 20, 2023, members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Gang Investigations Squad arrested the defendant. While searching Giron, 200 pills were recovered from the defendant’s sock and three pills were recovered from his waistband. Upon testing it was revealed that the pills – which were pressed to look like prescription pain medications – were in fact fentanyl pills.
The trial started on February 22, 2024, and closings on February 27. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours. Giron faces up to 49 years in prison and is due back in court on April 23, 2024.
“This defendant – a known Latin Kings member – used extreme violence to try and kill a perceived rival of his gang,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said. “During the course of Elijah Giron’s arrest, it was further discovered that he was in possession of more than 200 fentanyl pills. My office will aggressively prosecute gang members who utilize violence and sell deadly drugs because every family in Nassau County deserves to live in a safe environment.”