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New York Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for 2011 Murder
A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in a 2011 murder in the Bronx, New York. Michael Castillo, a/k/a ‘Squirrel,’ was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl to 276 months in prison for the murder of Hector Arias.
According to the allegations, Castillo was a member of a conspiracy to distribute marijuana centered near 193rd Street and Broadway in Manhattan. He was hired by the leader of the conspiracy, David Espinal, a/k/a ‘D-Block,’ to kill Arias, the leader of a rival marijuana business operating in the same area.
The murder took place on March 10, 2011, near 712 East Gun Hill Road in the Bronx, New York. Arias’s fiancée and her eight-year-old child witnessed the murder. Castillo and Espinal’s murder plot arose out of the rivalry between Espinal and Arias’s two marijuana businesses.
Castillo was paid in cash after completing the murder. In addition to his prison sentence, Castillo was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Castillo’s co-defendant, Espinal, pleaded guilty to conspiring to kill Arias, among other offenses, on December 8, 2020. During his guilty plea, Espinal admitted to hiring a hitman to kill Arias.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Bagliebter, Maurene Comey, Peter J. Davis, Scott Hartman, Lindsey Keenan, and Jacqueline Kelly are in charge of the prosecution.
**Mandatory Facts:**
- Defendant: Michael Castillo
- Criminal Charges: Murder
- City and State: Bronx, New York
- Date: March 10, 2011
- Sentence: 276 months in prison, five years supervised release
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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