Man Sentenced For Attempted Murder Of 18-Year-Old Woman In Union County

ELIZABETH, NJ — A Union County man was sentenced to a total of 7 years in state prison for the attempted murder of a woman in 2024, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel, Elizabeth Police Director Earl Graves, and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca announced Thursday.

On Friday, Union County Superior Court Judge Candido Rodriguez Jr. sentenced Nelson Lata-Sanchez, 23, of Elizabeth, requiring him to serve 85 percent before being eligible for parole, pursuant to NERA (no early release act).

Lata-Sanchez previously entered a guilty plea of first-degree attempted murder on Jan. 21.

On June 14, 2024, Elizabeth Police Officers responded to an apartment on Fulton Street in Elizabeth
after receiving a hang-up 911 call. When they arrived they discovered an 18-year-old woman suffering from numerous severe injuries. Lata-Sanchez was arrested at the scene, said Daniel.

The victim received immediate medical attention from responding officers before being taken to the University Hospital in critical condition.

"I hope this sentence can provide some assurance to the victim and her family, as well as the community, that we will not tolerate these egregious offenses and will expend all of our efforts to bring offenders to justice," said Daniel. "I commend the initial responding officers, Christina Pecorella, Victor Valdez, and Selvin Rubi, of the Elizabeth Police Department. Their swift actions upon arrival at the crime scene helped save the life of the victim. I also want to commend the excellent work of Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detectives Jose Lopez, Ayanna Kerr, and Sergeant Christopher Scuorzo on their investigation on this case."

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