Port Chester Man Gets 18 Years in Prison for Fatal Stabbing

A Port Chester man has been sentenced to 18 years in state prison for the stabbing death of another Port Chester man in the village after an argument on Poningo Street in February.

The sentence issued in Westchester County Court in White Plains comes after Julio Cortez, 53, of 66 Poningo St., Port Chester, admitted to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class “B” Violent Felony.

In April, Cortez was arraigned on a three count indictment charging him with:

• one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a class “A-1” Violent Felony,
• one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree, a class “B” Violent Felony,
• one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a class “A” Misdemeanor

In September, he admitted to the of killing 23-year-old Carlos Guiracocha on Feb. 7. Cortez, a day laborer, was arrested on Feb. 15 and is being held in the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla.

Guiracocha, who worked for a Port Chester roofing company, was killed an early-morning incident on Feb. 7. At about 3:55 a.m. Port Chester police received a 911 call for a problem in the area of 125 and 131 Poningo St.

When the patrol officer arrived, he discovered the body of Guirachocha, lying face down on the steps to the entrance of 131 Poningo St.

When the officer turned the man over, he saw blood and a stab wound in the area of the heart. Emergency medical personnel were contacted and Guiracocha was later pronounced dead.

In their investigation, police located a large kitchen knife nearby and recovered surveillance video from the two buildings. Detectives discovered that the two men had argued prior to the stabbing. Police believe that Guirachocha had hit Cortez in a previous incident and Cortez was looking to get even with the younger man on the night of the slaying.

Assistant District Attorney Kristina Dushaj of the Major Case Bureau prosecuted the case.