An Allentown man charged in a fatal shooting outside a child’s birthday party was sentenced Thursday to 11 1/2 to 28 years in state prison, prosecutors said in a news release.
Roberto Gonzalez, 26, admitted he shot and killed 33-year-old Miguel S. Dalmasi, of Alburtis, on Feb. 17, 2024, according to the news release from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. The shooting occurred outside Allentown’s East Side Fire Social Hall at 405 E. Walnut St., the site of a birthday party for a 1-year-old, the release says.
Police say several men wearing ski masks and hooded sweatshirts gathered outside the party, and a dispute ensued between the masked men and the party attendees.
Dalmasi, a relative of the 1-year-old child, went outside the hall to mediate the dispute and a fight broke out, authorities said.
Defense attorney Joshua Karoly said Gonzalez fired shots after he saw Dalmasi’s weapon, mistakenly believing his life was in danger.
“This loss of life was tragic, and should not have occurred,” Karoly said, adding that Gonzalez “was sincere in the remorse he expressed to Mr. Dalmasi’s family and accepted responsibility for his actions and the sentence he must now serve.”
The gun was altered to function as an automatic weapon, and 18 rounds were fired in a matter of seconds, the release says.
Dalmasi died from multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.
Gonzalez pleaded guilty Sept. 2, 2025, to voluntary manslaughter and a gun charge. He was sentenced by Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks.
This 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.
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