Homeless man who fatally stabbed LI man in food cart dispute sentenced in Queens, DA says

Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder sentenced a homeless man who pleaded guilty in the 2018 fatal stabbing of a Riverhead resident to 17 years in prison, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Wednesday.

John Daves, 34, stabbed Miguel Angel Becerra-Perez, 25, after the two men got into an argument while waiting in line at a food cart at the intersection of Roosevelt Ave. and 80th St. in Jackson Heights on Sept. 27, 2018, authorities said. Surveillance video showed Daves, who grabbed a knife from the vendor’s cart, chase Becerra-Perez down the street and stab him in the right arm and chest.

"A disagreement between two strangers escalated to a senseless killing of an unarmed man," Katz said.

Becerra-Perez died later died from those wounds. Daves pleaded guilty to manslaughter in December.

Daves’ attorney David Cohen of Queens said his client had expressed remorse after the fatal stabbing and apologized to Becerra-Perez’s family when he was sentenced Wednesday.

"It is a terrible tragedy," Cohen said. " A silly argument over who was next to get food turned into a fight. One man lost his life and another man will go to prison for a long time."