Huntington Station Killing Was Murder-For-Hire Plot: DA

HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — An unlicensed dentist, a suspected gunman and a third man accused of connecting them were indicted in a murder-for-hire plot that left a 23-year-old Huntington Station man dead outside his home, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Yolani Mejia Carranza, 56, Daniel Kersey, 35, and Aldo Esmizadeh, 70, all of Huntington Station, were indicted in connection with the August 2022 killing of Byron Martinez, prosecutors said.

Mejia Carranza and Kersey were each indicted on first-degree murder and other charges, while Esmizadeh was indicted on conspiracy charges for his role in arranging the killing, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, the case began after Martinez’s mother received dental treatment from Mejia Carranza in 2022, despite Mejia Carranza not having a license to practice dentistry.

After the procedure, Martinez’s mother developed serious complications and later learned it would cost thousands of dollars to correct the dental work, prosecutors said.

Martinez’s mother demanded that Mejia Carranza reimburse the money she had paid, prosecutors said. She also told Mejia Carranza that Martinez had recorded her performing the procedure and that they would report the unlicensed dental practice to law enforcement if she refused to pay them back, prosecutors said.

Mejia Carranza then contacted Esmizadeh and asked whether he knew anyone who would “hurt” people, prosecutors said.

Esmizadeh connected her with Kersey, prosecutors said.

In late July 2022, Kersey agreed to threaten and hurt Martinez and his mother in exchange for payment, prosecutors said. Mejia Carranza and Esmizadeh then surveilled the basement apartment in Huntington Station where Martinez and his mother lived and shared the location with Kersey, prosecutors said.

After some time passed, Mejia Carranza became dissatisfied when Kersey had not harmed Martinez and his mother as agreed, prosecutors said.

She then demanded they both be killed and refused to pay Kersey until the murders were carried out, prosecutors said.

At about 1:18 a.m. on Aug. 2, 2022, Suffolk County police responded to a 911 call for shots fired at Martinez’s residence, prosecutors said. Officers found Martinez lying in the entrance with a gunshot wound to his upper back, and he was pronounced dead, prosecutors said.

Police recovered shell casings from the scene, along with a black drawstring bag containing a cartridge near the area, prosecutors said. An autopsy determined Martinez died from a gunshot wound to the torso, prosecutors said.

Mejia Carranza was arraigned Thursday before Acting Supreme Court Justice Anthony Senft Jr. on two counts of first and second degree murder, second and fourth-degree conspiracy, a third-degree count for intimidating a victim or witness, tampering with physical evidence, and unauthorized practice of dentistry, the DA said.

Senft ordered Mejia Carranza held without bail during the case, prosecutors said. She is due back in court May 20 and faces up to life in prison without parole if convicted of the top count, prosecutors said. She is represented by attorney John Halverson.

Kersey was scheduled to be arraigned Friday before Senft on two counts of first and second-degree murder, second-degree conspiracy, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree conspiracy, third-degree intimidating a victim or witness, and tampering with physical evidence, the DA said.

Senft ordered Kersey held without bail during the case, prosecutors said. He is due back in court June 3 and faces up to life in prison without parole if convicted of the top count, prosecutors said. He is represented by Christopher Gioe.

Esmizadeh was arraigned Thursday before Senft on second and fourth-degree conspiracy, the DA said.

Senft ordered Esmizadeh held on $100,000 cash, $200,000 bond or $1 million partially secured bond, prosecutors said. He is due back in court May 11 and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count, prosecutors said. He is represented by Luigi Belcastro.

The defense attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mejia Carranza is also charged in a separate case with three counts of unauthorized practice of a profession, prosecutors said. In that case, she is accused of performing dental work on three people between Nov. 1, 2024, and March 13, 2025, without a New York dentistry license, prosecutors said. She faces up to 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison on each count if convicted.

Kersey is also charged in a separate five-count indictment with three counts of sex trafficking, one third-degree count of promoting prostitution, and one fourth-degree count of promoting prostitution, prosecutors said. Prosecutors say the charges stem from conduct between spring 2022 and fall 2022.

Prosecutors said Kersey used a victim’s drug addiction to control and induce that person to engage in sexual acts for his profit. He also monitored the victim’s movements and threatened physical violence if the victim did not comply with his demands, prosecutors said. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count in the case.

“Byron Martinez was fatally shot outside his home as part of an alleged contract killing orchestrated to protect an illegal unlicensed dental practice,” Tierney said. “This indictment reflects my office’s commitment to pursuing justice for Mr. Martinez and his family.”