Murder-For-Hire Plot Over Woman Leads To 2 Arrests In Westbury: Police

Two Westbury men were arrested on Monday for their involvement in a murder-for-hire plot to kill a man caught in a love triangle, police say.

According to authorities, Herberth Hernandez, 40, was hired by Hamen Gonzales-Cruz, 35, to kill a 30-year-old man for $500. Police say Gonzales-Cruz wanted the man "out of the picture" because he was involved in an ongoing relationship with the victim's girlfriend.

Hernandez went to Uptown Restaurant Grill, located at 1005 Prospect Ave., and confronted the man on Monday around 3:15 p.m., police say. Hernandez, who police say had a change of heart, withdrew the handgun that was provided by Gonzales-Cruz and fired two shots, one into the ground and another into the air. Neither of the shots injured the 30-year-old man.

Officers arrived to the scene and located Hernandez and Gonzales-Cruz behind an adjacent building where police say the officer saw Hernandez drop the gun. Hernandez was immediately arrested and a subsequent investigation at the scene led to the arrest of Gonzales-Cruz for his part in the plan, police say.

Hernandez was charged with second-degree conspiracy, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a firearm and second-degree menacing.

Gonzales-Cruz was charged with second-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal facilitation.

Both men will be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Tuesday.

Mugshots via NCPD (Gonzales-Cruz (left) and Hernandez), Image of Uptown Restaurant Grill via Google Maps