Huntington Station teen pleads guilty to murder committed when he was 14

A 16-year-old from Huntington Station pleaded guilty Wednesday, as a minor, to fatally shooting a man in 2021 and is expected to be sentenced to 12 years to life in prison — a lighter sentence than if he was charged as an adult due to a recent change in state law, Suffolk prosecutors said.

Ramon Lyons, 16, pleaded guilty in Family Court in Central Islip to second-degree murder in the death of Luis Cameron Rimmer-Hernandez, 21.

Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Kerr is expected to sentence Lyons to 12 years to life in prison when he is due back in court on Nov. 13, officials said.

“Unfortunately, the unintended effect of New York’s 2018 ‘Raise the Age’ law is an increase in shootings and violent crimes committed by young offenders, such as this defendant, who was only 14 years old when he took the victim’s life,” said Suffolk District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “Gangs are increasingly using younger members to carry weapons and commit shootings because they know that these offenders will face lesser consequences.”

The legislation raised the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 years old in New York State. Under Raise the Age, 16- and 17-year-olds charged with felonies are considered adolescent offenders and their cases start out in the youth part of State Supreme or County Court and can eventually be sent to Family Court. It was designed to give juveniles a better chance at rehabilitation, lawmakers said.

Matt Tuohy, Lyons' Huntington-based defense attorney, said his client is "remorseful about what happened. It's been a difficult time. He comes from a nice family and is remorseful about this and wants to turn his life around." 

On Aug. 9, 2021, Rimmer-Hernandez drove up to a location on Lowndes Avenue in Huntington Station to meet up with some friends, prosecutors said.

As Rimmer-Hernandez stood on the street, Lyons ran up to him and fired approximately seven shots from a 9 mm handgun, striking the victim in the chest and arm, authorities said. 

Lyons fled the scene and ran back into his apartment, less than half a mile away, prosecutors said. He was tracked through surveillance video and made admissions to the murder on social media, officials said.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.