A Yonkers barber who slashed a romantic rival in his barbershop but was acquitted of the top charge has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in state prison, half of what the prosecution requested.
Westchester
Judge George Fufidio rejected Jeury Fernandez-Navarro's bid for just time in the county jail, imposing the prison term at sentencing Thursday, Sept. 24.
Fernandez-Navarro, 38, was convicted of second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon but acquitted of first-degree assault following a trial last month.
On the afternoon of Aug. 4, 2025, he was giving a young boy a haircut at Escape Barbershop on South Broadway when a former friend he suspected of sleeping with his girlfriend walked in.
The man sat in another barber's chair. Fernandez-Navarro grabbed a straight razor from his counter, walked over to the other chair and pulled the man's head back by his hair.
Video played at the trial showed the man struggle and fall to the floor with Fernandez-Navarro yanking his arm up as he delivers a single slash to the man's forearm. The struggle continued onto the sidewalk where it ended after a police captain showed up on the scene.
The victim suffered a lacerated artery, requiring extensive surgery, and still has scars and loss of strength in his hand and arm.
The defense maintained the slashing was accidental after Fernandez-Navarro claimed the man had been disrespecting him and he grabbed the razor only to get him to stop. Prosecutors argued it was an intentional assault. Fufidio granted the prosecution's request that second-degree assault, requiring a reckless act, also be considered and jurors convicted Fernandez-Navarro of that.
He would have faced between five and 25 years in prison had he been convicted of the top charge. Assistant Jonathan Strongin asked for a five-year prison term with five years post-release supervision while defense lawyers Kimberly Almonte and Jessica Hugel sought just under one year in the county jail. Fufidio imposed only 1 1/2 years of post release supervision.
District Attorney Susan Cacace said in a news release that her office respects the judge's decision but "firmly believes that a more substantial prison sentence was warranted given the severity and brutality of the defendant’s conduct."
The release made no mention of the acquittal.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Yonkers barber sentenced for slashing of romantic rival in shop
