MINEOLA, N.Y. – Kadeem Lewis, 31, from Hempstead, has been sentenced to 24 years to life in prison for the murder and robbery of Jose Sanchez-Velasquez in November 2019. Lewis was found guilty by a jury of charges related to the fatal shooting of Sanchez-Velasquez, who was sleeping in his car at the time.
The jury convicted Lewis on October 31, 2024, of Murder in the Second Degree (an A-I felony), Robbery in the First Degree (a B violent felony), and Robbery in the Second Degree (a C violent felony). Lewis was sentenced yesterday to 24 years to life in prison by Judge Robert Bogle.
District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said, “The final moments of Jose Sanchez-Velasquez’s life were filled with shock and terror when Kadeem Lewis and a co-defendant roused him from sleep inside his car and robbed him. When Jose tried to scream for help, he was tragically killed by a single gunshot to the chest. Today’s life sentence holds Kadeem Lewis accountable for his callousness and for taking an innocent man’s life. Our thoughts remain with Jose’s loved ones at this time, and we hope that this most severe punishment provides them with the justice they deserve for this unspeakable crime.”
According to the prosecution, on November 25, 2019, at approximately 2:19 a.m., Lewis and his co-defendant were walking around Hempstead, looking for a house to burglarize. They encountered 33-year-old Jose Sanchez-Velasquez, who was sleeping in his car with the engine running and the lights on.
Lewis approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, while his co-defendant opened the front passenger-side door and took several cell phones. The co-defendant then removed Sanchez-Velasquez from the vehicle. When the victim screamed for help, Lewis fired a single gunshot into Sanchez-Velasquez’s chest, killing him. The two fled the scene, and Lewis dropped two of the stolen cellphones in a neighboring backyard.
On December 21, 2019, Lewis was involved in another incident in Hempstead while wearing a ski mask. After fleeing the scene of that crime, he dropped his cellphone inside a residence. Police later found a ski mask and a wallet at the crime scene, which were linked to Lewis. DNA samples taken from both the ski mask and the cellphones near the scene of the murder were confirmed to be a match to Lewis.
Lewis was arrested on February 6, 2020, by members of the Nassau County Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Hate Crimes Unit Chief Kirk Sendlein, under the supervision of Homicide Bureau Chief Jared Rosenblatt, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Litigation Division Kevin Higgins. Mitch Barnett, Esq. represented the defendant.
With his sentence of 24 years to life, Kadeem Lewis will face significant time in prison for his violent actions, providing a sense of justice for Jose Sanchez-Velasquez’s family and loved ones.
