Former bouncer David Cruz draws a 24-year prison sentence for killing bar patron Jake Scott outside a Holbrook bar

A Suffolk County judge sentenced former bouncer David Cruz, who was convicted of first-degree manslaughter in the fatal beating of a Holbrook bar patron, to 24 years in prison for what he called an “unprovoked, brutal” assault. 

State Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins said it was “haunting” to watch surveillance video showing bouncer David Cruz, 32, repeatedly punch Jake Scott outside Tailgaters Sports Bar on Aug. 21, 2022, and just as difficult to hear him strike the victim, “each blow causing further damage.”

About two dozen people, many wearing T-shirts that said “#Justice4JakeScott,” showed up at the Riverhead court to support the victim’s grieving mom, Debbie Scott, and Scott’s fiancee, Pamela Carcano.

Scott, of Centereach, told Collins before sentencing that her son’s death has been devastating for her and her family. 

“How do you ever let go of the love of a child and all the beautiful things that come with it?” Scott said during her victim impact statement. “My heart has a hole the size of the Grand Canyon. My life is changed forever.”

A Suffolk County jury found Cruz guilty of first-degree manslaughter on April 24. Cruz faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Cruz offered his “deepest apologies” to Scott’s friends and family and told them he did not intend to cause Scott serious harm. Cruz told Collins his mother died when he was young and his father abandoned him, and that he hoped to be a good parent to his young son.

“I have a 2-year-old who I love more than anything and he needs a father,” Cruz said, sobbing.

Cruz’s attorney, Javier Solano, said his client would appeal the sentence. 

“He’s always accepted the responsibility that he, in fact, inflicted the harm that caused a death,” Solano said of Cruz. "The only issue was whether or not he intended to cause serious physical injury.” 

Collins said Cruz’s son would have been approximately one years old at the time of the assault, and that Cruz knew what he had to do to be a good father. The judge sentenced Cruz as a violent felony offender because the defendant had been sentenced to 31/2 years in prison in 2016 on an armed burglary charge. Cruz’s arrest record included a domestic violence incident in which a woman’s teeth were knocked out. 

Cruz and Scott First crossed paths on the evening of Aug. 20, when Cruz broke up a verbal altercation between Scott and two other bar patrons. Witnesses testified that the conflict was sparked after Scott called Cruz a “weirdo.” 

Prosecutor Elizabeth Creighton told Collins that nearly four hours later, at approximately 2:45 a.m., Cruz went outside of the bar and began a new verbal exchange with Scott, even though he had time to cool off and think about his actions. “He still chose violence.” she said. 

During that exchange, prosecutors said, the 6-5, 270-pound Cruz repeatedly tried — and failed — to draw Scott out of view of the Tailgaters’ surveillance camera, according to prosecutors. 

Cruz walked to his vehicle, then returned to the front area of the bar, dragging a chair near the surveillance camera. He stood on the chair, took off his shirt, and covered the camera, prosecutors said. Cruz was apparently unaware that a security camera from a nearby business was also recording the incident. 

Video from the other business’ security system showed Cruz delivering his first punch while Scott was standing up from his seat as Cruz approached him. The punch caused Scott to fall onto the cement sidewalk, prosecutors said

Cruz then grabbed a motionless Scott by his shirt, pulled him up and yelled at him to get up. When Scott did not respond, Cruz dropped him back to the ground and delivered a final blow to Scott’s head before returning to the bar for his paycheck, according to prosecutors. 

Cruz surrendered to police three days later, on Aug. 24.

Scott was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was placed into a medically induced coma. Doctors determined Scott suffered a brain bleed, a complete skull fracture, and a traumatic brain injury. Scott remained in the hospital for 11 days before he died.

 “We are satisfied that justice was served, and that this defendant was held accountable for his actions by the trial jury and now the court,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement.