A Brooklyn man who prosecutors say sexually abused the body of a fellow subway rider is headed to prison for five years. On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 44-year-old Felix Rojas was sentenced in Manhattan Criminal Court in a case that rattled late-night riders and drew national attention. The incident, which unfolded on a Lower Manhattan train last April, also triggered immigration scrutiny and led to an indictment last spring.
As reported by the New York Post, Rojas accepted a negotiated deal that includes a five-year prison term followed by 15 years of supervised release. Court filings and press accounts indicate the agreement wrapped up state charges tied to the 2025 incident. The Post also noted statements from immigration officials about Rojas’s prior encounters at the southern border.
Prosecutors' account of the attack
According to The Associated Press, the victim, later identified as 37-year-old Jorge Gonzalez, lost consciousness on a southbound R train on April 8, 2025, and was found unresponsive at the Whitehall Street station. Gonzalez died on the train before help could reach him.
Court papers and surveillance footage described by amNY state that Rojas boarded the train roughly 30 minutes after Gonzalez went unconscious, went through the man’s pockets and then engaged in sexual acts with the body, stopping only when other riders stepped into the car. Prosecutors laid out those details at arraignment and again in the indictment.
Victim and family reaction
Family members identified the deceased as Jorge Gonzalez and said he was a father who had recently immigrated from Mexico, according to The Guardian. Gonzalez’s estranged wife told reporters she believed his death was linked to longstanding health problems, and that learning about the postmortem attack left relatives devastated. Her account added a painful human layer to a case that quickly became a media lightning rod.
Immigration, arrest and custody
Law enforcement officials say Rojas turned himself in weeks after Gonzalez’s body was discovered, with local coverage describing him walking into the NYPD’s 1st Precinct. NBC New York reported on the arrest and arraignment, noting that detectives had been searching for a suspect captured on surveillance video.
An immigration detainer was later filed, and the New York Post reported that an ICE spokesperson told investigators Rojas had previously tried to cross the southern border unlawfully on multiple occasions. Those details have since been cited in debates over how immigration detainers intersect with local criminal prosecutions.
Court outcome and legal context
Rojas was originally charged with attempted rape, attempted grand larceny and sexual misconduct, according to earlier indictment coverage from The Associated Press. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said at the time it intended to prosecute the case aggressively, and Hoodline tracked the indictment and arraignment last May. With sentencing now complete, the case shifts to post-release supervision and any future immigration proceedings.
Why the sentence matters
The case has resurfaced long-standing worries about subway safety late at night and how the criminal justice and immigration systems respond when noncitizens face serious allegations. Those themes surfaced repeatedly in local coverage as details of the crime emerged.
Manhattan prosecutors have framed the outcome as part of a broader effort to keep riders safe underground, while community members say the sentence is a grim reminder of how vulnerable people can be on largely empty trains after hours, according to amNY. Officials have not offered further public comment beyond what appears in court filings and prepared press statements.
.jpg){kind=link}