A New Cassel man was convicted Wednesday of shooting and killing a 56-year-old man during an attempted hold-up amid a six-month-long armed robbery spree targeting gas stations across Nassau County in 2015.
A Nassau County jury found Joshua Golson-Orelus guilty of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, robbery, attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon following a one-month-long trial.
“This defendant terrorized gas station employees in Nassau County for more than six months and senselessly murdered Hany Awad during a stick-up robbery in Jericho,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. “Joshua Golson-Orelus’ reign of terror has ended and Nassau County is safer today with him behind bars.”
Prosecutors said the 24-year-old gunman killed the clerk at the BP gas station on Jericho Turnpike on Jan. 28, 2015. He robbed four gas stations and two 7-Elevens in Westbury, Hicksville and East Meadow before the murder, authorities said. After the murder, he robbed four more gas stations, according to investigators.
After the Jericho murder, Nassau County police launched a massive manhunt that made apprehending the shooter their top priority. He was apprehended in upstate Utica in June 15 following his last robbery.
Golson-Orelus faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole when he is sentenced March 27 by Judge Helene Gugerty.
