Three Sentenced Decades Prison NYC Gay Bar Murder Scheme

Three men—Jayqwan Hamilton, Jacob Barroso, and Robert DeMaio—were sentenced to decades in prison for a drugging and robbery scheme targeting patrons of New York City gay bars, which led to the overdose deaths of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger. During the 15-month spree from March 2021 to June 2022, the trio drugged victims with a fentanyl-laced cocktail, used facial recognition technology to access their phones, and stole thousands of dollars from their bank accounts. All three were convicted of murdering Ramirez, while Hamilton and DeMaio were also convicted of murdering Umberger. Hamilton and DeMaio received sentences of 40 years to life, while Barroso was sentenced to 20 years to life. Victims' families expressed relief at the sentencing, emphasizing the message that targeting the LGBTQ community will lead to justice. Despite their convictions, Hamilton and Barroso maintained their innocence at sentencing, but the judge condemned their actions as cold and calculated with no leniency forthcoming.