Crime & Safety

East Meadow Man Gets 25 to Life for Hempstead Murder

Herber Guzman reportedly shot a Hempstead man in the stomach with a shotgun, DA said.

An East Meadow man will serve 25 years to life in prison for the 2012 murder of a Hempstead man, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's office.

Herber Guzman, 42, of East Meadow, was sentenced Friday to spend at least 25 years behind bars by Nassau County Court Judge William Donnino, said the DA.

A jury convicted Guzman of second-degree murder in October 2013 and seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance.

Find out what's happening in East Meadowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This sentence ensures that this defendant will not pose a threat to the community for a very long time, and that he will be held accountable for the senseless killing of his victim,” DA Kathleen Rice said. “I would like to thank the Nassau County and Hempstead Police Departments for their efforts in getting this dangerous man off of our streets.”

Guzman was charged with fatally shooting 46-year-old Stanley Cater in the stomach with a shotgun in the early hours of April 26, 2012, reported Nassau County Police.

Find out what's happening in East Meadowwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Homicide detectives identified Guzman's vehicle and was pulled over six days later for a traffic violation, cops said. Guzman was found with a small bag of crack cocaine and was charged for the murder and drug possession, police said.

Guzman's defense had originally claimed he was not the shooter, said the DA.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.