Vallejo
Rivera
GOSHEN – Two men, who beat a Newburgh man to death in March, pled guilty in Orange County Court on Tuesday,
Leonel Mondragon-Hernandez, 48, was attacked, kicked and beaten in front of 1 Lake Street on March 30. He was declared brain dead in the hospital after the attack and was taken off life support, resulting in his death on April 6.
Richard Vallejo, also known as “Rico,” 28, pled guilty to manslaughter and Kelsin Rivera, 30, pled guilty to assault. The two Newburgh men entered their pleas before County Court Judge Nicholas DeRosa, who is expected to sentence Vallejo to 20 years in state prison and Rivera to four years in prison when they appear in his courtroom again in September.
“Senseless violence is a plague on our communities, whether it is committed by someone pointing a gun or knife, or by someone perpetrating an assault as serious as the one in this case,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “Violence cannot be tolerated, and my office will seek appropriate sanctions against anyone who chooses to settle their disputes by committing acts of violence against other people.”
