An Allentown man charged in a killing that occurred outside a child’s birthday party will serve 11½ to 28 years in state prison.
Roberto Gonzalez, 26, pleaded guilty Sept. 2 to charges of voluntary manslaughter and possessing a prohibited firearm stemming from the Feb. 17, 2024, shooting death of Miguel S. Dalmasi, 33, of Alburtis.
According to authorities, several unknown men wearing ski masks and hooded sweatshirts gathered outside the East Side Fire Social Hall at 405 E. Walnut St. in Allentown, where a 1-year-old child’s birthday party was being held.
A dispute between those men and people at the party resulted. Dalmasi, a relative of the child, went outside the hall to mediate the dispute and a fight broke out. One of the men involved, later identified as Gonzalez, pulled out a firearm and fired several shots, striking Dalmasi.
Officials said the weapon had been altered with a device called a “Glock switch” that allowed it to discharge as a fully automated firearm, with 18 rounds fired in seconds.
Gonzalez was sentenced Thursday by Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks.
Several spent shell casings were recovered at the scene and analyzed by Detective Mark Garrett with the Lehigh County Firearm and Tool Mark Laboratory, who determined the casings came from the same firearm.
Gonzalez was identified by witnesses, whose names will not be released, as well as video footage from area cameras and Allentown’s Flock Safety cameras in the area.
The case was investigated by Allentown Police Patrol Sgt. Raymond Ferraro and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force Detective Timothy Salgado. It was prosecuted by Chief of Prosecutions Patricia Fuentes Mulqueen and Senior Deputy District Attorney Kevin P. McCloskey.
