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Carlos Ortega, age 42, of Central Islip, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault in Suffolk County court Monday, Sept. 26.
His plea came more than four years after the violent attack occurred in August 2018, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said.
That’s when the two victims went to Ortega’s Central Islip home to pick up their grandparents, Ortega’s parents, who were visiting from Guatemala, to take them out to dinner.
After arriving home and seeing his nephews, Ortega retrieved a metal pipe from his work truck before confronting the 23-year-old victim.
The victim attempted to run away, but Ortega struck him several times in the leg with the pipe, according to investigators.
When the victim’s brother tried intervening, Ortega struck him in the face with the same pipe, prosecutors said.
Both victims were taken to Southside Hospital, where doctors determined the first victim was beaten so severely that his leg had to be amputated.
Ortega initially claimed self-defense, but eventually confessed to the attack when he was confronted with his own surveillance video that captured the entire incident.
Following his arraignment in December 2018, he posted bail and was released from custody. He also surrendered his passport as required.
But when he failed to show up for his next court appearance, a judge issued a warrant for his arrest.
More than three years would go by before Ortega was finally tracked down in his native Guatemala, prosecutors said.
With help from the US Department of Justice and the US Marshals Service, he was finally brought back to Suffolk County in February 2022 and has been jailed ever since.
“This defendant’s assault was vicious enough to cost one of his victims a limb. Instead of communicating, this defendant chose violence,” Suffolk County DA Raymond Tierney said.
“He fled so he would not have to answer for his actions. Thanks to my team, with the help of the US Department of Justice and the US Marshals Service, the defendant was captured and now he’s going to be held accountable.”
Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, Nov. 21.
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