A 17-year-old boy was busted in the deadly stabbing of a 39-year-old man just off Times Square — and disturbingly told police that he did it as part of a “mess with crackheads” social media trend, cops and law enforcement sources said.

The alleged stabber — identified by sources as Jayden Sanchez — was picked up around 8 p.m. Wednesday and also faces a weapon possession rap in the Monday night knifing of Leonides Baez, 39, police said.

Officers were conducting a station inspection when they spotted Sanchez evading the fare and stopped him, according to law enforcement sources.

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A 17-year-old boy was arrested for the deadly stabbing of a 39-year-old man near Times Square on Monday.William C Lopez/NY Post
They quickly realized he was wanted for the deadly Midtown stabbing two nights earlier, the sources said.
He was also found with a scalpel in his possession, according to the sources.

While in custody, Sanchez admitted to police that he attacked the victim as part of a sick TikTok trend meant to “mess with crackheads,” according to the sources.

The lanky, curly-haired teen — who walked into the courthouse looking disheveled in a tan Jordan hoodie and black and white shorts — claimed self-defense when prodded by The Post about the reason for the murder.

“Boy, it was self-defense bro! Get off my d–k!” Sanchez snapped as a detective walked him into the courtroom.

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The alleged stabber — identified by sources as Jayden Sanchez — faces a weapon possession rap in the Monday night knifing of Leonides Baez.Steven Hirsch for NY Post
“He punched and he slapped me. That was a grown man beating on a kid,” he added when a Post photographer questioned him again in the courtroom.

“I was just walking and he came at me,” Sanchez said, adding that he didn’t know whether the older man had a weapon.

But he denied that the deadly attack was part of a social media trend also seen on Instagram and YouTube, as TikTok has cracked down on the disturbing videos. “No, I’m not part of that,” he replied.

Sanchez was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday evening on a whopping total of 11 counts, including murder in the second degree, four counts of robbery, and two counts of assault.

Victim Baez, whose last known address was in Worcester, Massachusetts, was knifed in the torso and back and slashed in the face around 11:30 p.m. in front of Burger & Lobster – Bryant Park on West 43rd Street near Seventh Avenue, authorities said.

The fatal attack also took place steps from the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, now showing Broadway’s “& Juliet,” authorities said.

“The defendant in this case is charged with killing a man who was sleeping on the street,” Assistant District Attorney Dafna Yoran told the courtroom — describing Sanchez as having been on a crime “rampage.”

Video footage captured Sanchez and two of his friends approaching the man, “who appeared to be sleeping on the ground,” according to a criminal complaint.

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The fatal attack also took place steps from the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, now showing Broadway’s “& Juliet,” authorities said.William C Lopez/NY Post
Yoran revealed the crew of vile youngsters had allegedly also “urinated in a cup and threw the urine” on Baez after waking him up and harassing him.

Sánchez then allegedly pulled out an object from his vest pocket with his right hand, grabbed Baez, and stabbed him in the chest.

“The defendant stabbed the man in the heart,” Yoran chillingly told Judge Jeffrey Gershuny.

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Sanchez allegedly knifed the victim in the torso and back and slashed at the face.Steven Hirsch for NY Post
Sanchez has no open previous arrests on his record, but he does have a lengthy domestic violence history, sources said.

“This is part of a sort of rampage of behavior by the defendant in the days and months leading up to this incident,” Yoran described, noting Sanchez and his friends had also robbed a man at a news stand, broken the glass, and snatched the cash register on May 3.

Roughly a month before the fatal stabbing, on April 7, Sanchez and three others allegedly robbed a souvenir store near Times Square, the criminal complaint added.

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Sanchez was arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday evening.Steven Hirsch for NY Post
When the clerk tried to defend himself and his property, Sanchez declared, “I’M GONNA CUT YOUR FACE,” before slashing the man in his right hand.

The four then fled the souvenir shop, while the store clerk was taken to a hospital for the laceration.

Yoran said Sanchez returned to the souvenir shop, “and ended up stabbing someone [else] in the arm.”

The teen was identified in still images by a school safety officer, who interacted with him “numerous times at Manhattan High School.”

Sanchez’s defense lawyer, Arnold Levine, reserved a bail application and asked that the case be heard at the next hearing.

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The other suspects, who are still at large, are also believed to be teens, the sources said.William C Lopez/NY Post286
Sanchez appeared shifty throughout the hearing, telling detectives, “I am cold” and asking them to tell his “mother” to get him something to drink.

The woman Sanchez repeatedly looked back at and referred to as his “mother” identified herself to The Post as his mother-in-law and said the accused stabber is dating her daughter and lives with her.

“He lives with me,” Genniet Torres said. “He stays with me all the time. He’s always with me. That’s why I’m so puzzled with this case.”

“My daughter stays with a friend, but he lives with me,” she repeated.

Gershuny ordered Sanchez held in custody without bail. He will return to court on Friday.

The other suspects, who are still at large, are also believed to be teens, the sources said.

Additional reporting by Zoe Hussain.