A transgender illegal migrant who admitted to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in New York received just a six-month prison sentence, sparking outrage over its leniency.
Nicol Alexandra Contreras-Suarez, a 31-year-old transgender Colombian illegal immigrant, was arrested last year for the assault that occurred in February 2025 in East Harlem, New York. The plea deal, approved in March 2026, resulted in a six-month term of imprisonment after Contreras-Suarez reached an agreement with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Seth Zuckerman, a former prosecutor in the Brooklyn DA’s Office and now a criminal defense attorney, expressed disbelief at the outcome. “I didn’t know you could get six months on this… It’s generally a minimum of two [years] and a maximum of seven, so I think something must be wrong here,” he said. Zuckerman noted that clients in similar cases typically do not receive such favorable deals.
Contreras-Suarez, who has already served the six-month term while detained at Rikers Island since February 2025, was also wanted in New Jersey and Massachusetts for violent offenses and subject to immigration enforcement detainers. Mark Bederow, a defense lawyer and former Manhattan prosecutor, described the sentence as “extraordinarily low” and highlighted its deviation from standard sentencing guidelines.
The Manhattan DA’s office stated that the resolution was reached in consultation with the victim’s family to avoid the teenager testifying before a grand jury or during trial. A spokesman added, “We expect the defendant to remain detained and be deported following sentencing, due to the felony conviction.”
Jennifer Harrison, founder of Victims Rights NY, condemned the plea deal, stating, “Let’s not pretend this sentence reflects real justice. It doesn’t. It sends a dangerous message that even the most horrific crimes against children won’t be met with the full weight of the law.”
