3 Men Sentenced In New Year's Day Fatal Shooting In Union County

ELIZABETH, NJ — Three Elizabeth men were sentenced in connection with the shooting death of Vladimir Martinez in Elizabeth in 2023, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel, Elizabeth Police Director Earl Graves, and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca announced.

On June 6, Union County Superior Court Judge Candido Rodriguez sentenced Albenys Soto-Fernandez, age 26, to 25 years in State Prison for aggravated manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder, directing that he must serve at least 85 percent of that sentence before being eligible for parole.

Jofrandy Diaz-Ramirez, age 26, and Yoel Sanchez, age 23, were each sentenced to 12 years in State
Prison for conspiracy to commit murder, also to serve at least 85 percent of that sentence before being eligible for parole.

All three pled guilty to the charges in January.

In the early morning hours of Jan. 1, 2023, Elizabeth Police Officers went to the area of 4th St. in Elizabeth on the report of a shooting.

Officers found the victim, Vladimir Martinez of Elizabeth, who suffered from multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Diaz-Ramirez, Soto-Fernandez and Sanchez were identified in the crime following a thorough and exhaustive investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Task Force, Elizabeth Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and the Union County Police Ballistics Unit.

"While this sentencing does not bring Mr. Martinez back, we hope it comes as some small solace to his loved ones," said Daniel. "I commend the dedicated efforts of Assistant Prosecutors Robert Grady and Joseph Cho, Sergeant Christopher Scuorzo, Detective Kevin Stanicki, and Elizabeth Police Detective Edward Pinkevicz who worked tirelessly on this case."

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