The second defendant in the fatal stabbing of 24-year-old Curtis Ashford pleaded guilty to causing his death today, receiving a sentence of up to 20 years rather than face trial, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

ROBERTO MENDES (D.O.B. 7/10/89) of Jamaica Plain pleaded guilty to the crime of manslaughter today. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Peter Lauriat sentenced him to the 18- to 20-year term recommended by Assistant District Attorney Mark Hallal, chief of Conley’s Senior Trial Unit.

Had the case proceeded to trial, Hallal would have introduced evidence and testimony to prove that Mendes and others were socializing at a friend’s home on East 8th Street in South Boston on the night of May 31, 2008. The resident of that home went out onto his front steps, where he became engaged in a verbal argument with someone outside. As the two men were arguing, Ashford arrived and also became engaged in the argument.

As the verbal altercation between Ashford and the resident escalated, Mendes grabbed a knife and went outside with EDWARD HOLLOMAN (D.O.B.12/15/88) of Lynn and ROBERTO MENDES (D.O.B. 7/10/89) of Jamaica Plain.

Evidence would have shown that the three men and the East 8th Street resident engaged in a verbal altercation with Curtis Ashford and two of Ashford’s friends. After exchanging words for some time, Ashford started to walk away. The three defendants followed them. Ashford tried to take cover inside another residence, but was unable to get inside the locked door.

Ashford became engaged in a fistfight with one of the defendant’s friends. After a few minutes of fighting, evidence would have shown, Mendes handed Holloman the knife and told him to stab Ashford.

Holloman stabbed Ashford multiple times in the chest and abdomen, causing the injuries that killed him.

The three assailants fled the scene and disposed of the knife in a sewer. Hemingway allegedly drove Holloman and Mendes from the scene in his car and harbored them in the aftermath of the stabbing.

Ashford was later transported to Boston Medical Center, where he died of his injuries; his friend suffered serious injuries but survived.

Prior to sentencing, Ashford’s sister addressed the court in a victim impact statement detailing the “senseless” nature of her brother’s homicide.

“My brother was no saint, but he was a good person,” Lenise Young said. “He was loved by so many people and never hurt anyone … He was a father, brother, and friend to many and you took that away from us.”

Of Ashford’s two-and-a-half-year-old son, Young said, “You can’t possibly ever understand what it feels like to look at that baby every day and see his father in him, knowing he will never get to know Curtis as we did. When he is old enough, what do we tell him about his father’s death? That he was killed by cowards?”

The three defendants were identified and apprehended by Boston Police homicide detectives on June 8, 2008. Holloman is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to second-degree murder earlier this month; Hemingway also pleaded guilty and is serving a two-and-a-half year sentence as an accessory after the fact.

Mendes was represented by attorney Frances Robinson. Jennifer Stott was the victim-witness advocate assigned to the case.