Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
One of two men charged in a violent Falls Township homicide has pleaded guilty.
Erick Sarceno, 24, of Trenton, pleaded guilty before a Bucks County judge Monday to charges of third-degree homicide, conspiracy and related offenses. The plea comes while his friend, Juan Antonio Villeda, 35, of Trenton, awaits trial in connection with the death of Jeronimo Villatoro.
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Calkins Media courthouse reporter Hayden Mitman wrote that prosecutors did not charge Sarceno with first-degree homicide in exchange for Monday’s plea. He also reported that “Sarceno agreed to testify this fall against his co-defendant,” who is facing a more serious first-degree homicide charge.
The killing happened after a night of drinking at a club in Trenton. The men drove from Trenton to West Post Avenue on the Falls and Morrisville border in a van. Villeda and Villatoro got into an argument at the end of West Post Avenue. Around that time, Villeda then reportedly struck Villatoro with a metal bar and started beating him around 8:30 a.m. on October 19, officials said.
The men left the injured Villatoro on the ground but returned a short time later. Villeda beat and then stabbed Villatoro, which eventually killed him, officials said.
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The assault was called in to 9-1-1 after a nearby resident saw something happening on West Post Road while he drank his morning cup of coffee.
Sarceno and his brother, who has not been charged in connection with Villeda’s death, were taken into custody by Morrisville police moments after the violent assault on their drinking buddy. Villeda fled the scene and was picked up less than a month later in New York.
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Investigators collected surveillance video from the church nearby the crime scene. A church official told LevittownNow.com the building has 16 cameras and all video was turned over to investigators.
Both Sarceno and Villeda were in the United State illegally, court documents filed this year said.
Sentencing for Sarceno has been delayed until November, according to court records.
