A 44-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday in New York to five years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a deceased passenger on a Manhattan R train.
Felix Rojas, 44, admitted to charges tied to the April 2025 death of 37-year-old Jorge Gonzalez. Prosecutors said Gonzalez lost consciousness and died on the train before Rojas approached him.
Surveillance video showed Rojas checking that Gonzalez was unresponsive, then sexually abusing his body and going through his pockets while other riders were nearby.
Rojas, a Brooklyn resident, turned himself in three weeks later after investigators released surveillance images. He initially denied the offense during questioning.
Along with prison time, the court ordered 15 years of supervised release once his sentence ends. Immigration officials noted Rojas is a Mexican national who had tried to enter the US unlawfully multiple times.
Gonzalez had lived in the US for nearly 20 years. Family members said he worked construction, restaurant, and service jobs to support relatives in Mexico.
“He was a devoted father and a hardworking man who did everything he could to provide for his family,” relatives said after sentencing.
The case drew national attention for its disturbing nature and reignited concerns over safety and surveillance on NYC’s subway system.
