A Salvadoran immigrant, Wilfredo Blanco Molina, has been found guilty of causing the death of a bicyclist in a drunken accident on Long Island. However, he was deported before he could be sentenced.
At 41 years old, Molina faced a potential sentence of up to 12 years but was sent back to El Salvador in December, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Donnelly expressed her disappointment, noting that Molina should have been in prison instead of being deported.
A spokesperson for Donnelly emphasized the seriousness of Molina’s actions, stating that individuals convicted of violent crimes like this one should serve time as mandated by the court. They lamented that despite the prosecution’s efforts, Molina escaped accountability for killing Robert McCarthy.
Prosecutors revealed that Molina had been intoxicated and under the influence of cocaine when he struck 69-year-old McCarthy in Westbury on October 27, 2024, and subsequently fled the scene, leaving the victim to die. Molina entered a guilty plea on September 30, 2025.
Molina originally arrived in the United States in the 1990s with legally protected status and was slated for sentencing on January 4. His attorney criticized the local policy under County Executive Bruce Blakeman that promotes cooperation with federal immigration authorities, arguing that it undermines victims’ rights to justice when convicted offenders are deported prematurely.
“This approach to policy leads to a hindrance of justice, and we’re witnessing an increase in such cases,” attorney Christopher Graziano commented.
It’s been confirmed that Molina’s temporary protected status was revoked following his conviction. While it remains uncertain if he is currently detained in El Salvador, his lawyers indicated that he was last known to be living freely with family.
Donnelly’s office asserted their commitment to justice, describing Molina’s actions as “horrible.”
