BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Cheektowaga man will spend the next 15 years in prison after strangling his girlfriend to death.
Sonny Martinez, 27, was convicted of strangling and killing his girlfriend, Brittney Balbuzoski, 23, inside his apartment on Ivanhoe Road in January. Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter as a sexually motivated felony back in July, and was sentenced on Friday.
Martinez was charged with manslaughter, not murder, because Balbuzoski's death happened during a consensual sex act.
As part of his plea, Martinez is required to register as a sex offender.