Three men have been sentenced to decades in prison for the drugging, robbery, and murder of two gay men they met at New York City bars in 2022. The victims, 25-year-old social worker Julio Ramirez and 33-year-old political consultant John Umberger, were among several men targeted by the group using a lethal cocktail of drugs, including fentanyl.
Judge Felicia Mennin handed down the sentences this week: Jayqwan Hamilton, 37, and Robert DeMaio, 36, were each given 40 years to life in prison. Jacob Barroso, 32, received a sentence of 25 years to life. All three have maintained their innocence and plan to appeal their convictions.
The group is believed to have been involved in a broader scheme, drugging and robbing at least five men between March 2021 and June 2022. Three of those cases resulted in death. Prosecutors said the men used the victims’ unconscious or lifeless bodies to unlock their phones via facial recognition, stealing thousands of dollars through banking and payment apps. Purchases included food, alcohol, shoes, and more.
Ramirez was found dead in a taxi in May 2022 after visiting the Ritz Bar and Lounge. Umberger’s body was discovered days later at his townhouse, following an encounter at The Q, a now-closed nightclub. Prosecutors revealed that a video recorded on the night of Umberger’s death showed Hamilton and DeMaio celebrating in the townhouse while his body lay nearby.
During the sentencing hearing, Umberger’s mother, Linda Clary, delivered a powerful victim impact statement, calling her son’s death “the greatest and worst pain in the world.” She criticised the killers for doing “nothing to help” and paused for 13 seconds in court — the length of the video in which the men allegedly celebrated near her dying son.
The case has drawn attention to law enforcement’s initial response to similar crimes. Survivors and families of victims have accused the NYPD of dismissive and inadequate investigations. Tyler Burt, a 27-year-old survivor, said he lost $15,000 after being drugged, yet police failed to pursue surveillance footage or respond promptly to his reports. Another man, aged 51, claimed he was told to stop returning to the precinct for updates on his case.
New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who represents the Hell’s Kitchen area where many of the attacks occurred, criticised law enforcement for what he described as bias. “Sadly, these lives were discounted because they were gay men who were at nightclubs,” he said.
In addition to the three sentenced this week, three other men — Eddie Ashley, Shane Hoskins, and Andre Butts — have already pleaded guilty in connection with related robberies.
