Latest news with #Trinitarios
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Mass. Trinitarios gang kidnaps person while wearing law enforcement jackets, officials say
A Massachusetts gang that officials say has fueled a decade of bloodshed is now accused of kidnapping a man while wearing law enforcement jackets. Isiah Medina, also known as 'Ice', 25, and Rodderith Peralta, also known as 'Mago', 26, both of Lawrence, were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Both men are members of the Lawrence Chapter of the Trinitarios gang and are in custody on unrelated state charges. Read more: From Airbnbs to music videos: What we know about the Mass. Trinitarios gang At about 8:15 p.m. on May 5, 2024, a resident near 30 Shattuck Road in Andover heard someone yelling, 'help.' As they looked outside, they saw a man being pushed into the back seat of a Jeep by two men wearing a dark colored jacket or shirt with the letters 'DEA' on the back and a tan colored baseball hat. But the two men weren't law enforcement agents, officials said. The Andover Police Department arrived and found a shoe, a sock and a key ring with a key and fob. The man's girlfriend began receiving calls by blocked phone numbers regarding the now missing man, court documents state. At about midnight three days later, the man was found outside a CVS on Bridge Street in Lowell. The man told police he had been kidnapped by men wearing law enforcement jackets and held in a basement for three days. He also asked police to call his mom. Read more: Inside the Trinitarios gang's Mass. lottery ticket theft operation But he didn't want to officially report the kidnapping because he said 'they' know where his mom lives and is not sure if 'they' are still watching him, according to court documents. At the hospital, the man who had been kidnapped told police he was originally approached by a 'white old man with glasses,' who told him he was under arrest, court documents state. But when he saw five other masked people, he knew it was not actually officials arresting him. He began to run. Eventually, his kidnappers handcuffed and pepper sprayed him, court documents state. Once on the highway, he was able to break out the rear window of the Jeep by kicking it and was able to briefly run away. He was recaptured and brought to unknown location in Lowell where he was held in a basement. He was blindfolded and every time he tried to take it off, he'd get 'smacked,' he told officials. The man was given food, Percocet and sandals. The men took his two phones and texted the man's girlfriend to go to his apartment. The man who was kidnapped believes the other men were also planning to kidnap her. 'The males stated that no one was going to pay for him and was no longer of any use,' court documents state. 'They ultimately decided to let him go. He was blindfolded and put into the back of a vehicle.' His hands were zip-tied and the blindfold was removed and replaced with a jacket over his head. After being let go, officials said the man asked someone nearby to help cut off the zip-ties. Read more: A teen was killed in a convenience store. His death sparked gang violence in Lynn Investigators found photos of the kidnapped man on Medina and Peralta's phones. One of the photos shows the man still handcuffed with a winter hat pulled down to cover his face, but not covering his mouth to allow him to smoke. Another photo shows a bottle believed to be urine near the man. Text conversations also show the two men talking about how the man kidnapped defecated on himself. During one video, Peralta's hand, identified by a tattoo, can be seen on the man's face. Later, officials learned the man who had been kidnapped was 'a Trinitario associate and large-scale drug trafficker who makes a lot of money selling drugs, particularly selling drug in Maine,' court documents state. The man was known to pay Trinitarios members for protection, court documents state. The Trinitarios gang also knew of the man's drug distribution activities and believed him to be in possession of a large quantity of drugs or money in his residence, 'which prompted the kidnapping and robbery.' Officials added that they believe the kidnappers were attempting to take his source of supply and his drug customers. Court documents state that the man sold large quantities of drugs in Maine, and could make about $50,000 every two or three days. Medina and Peralta are expected to appear in U.S. District Court next week. The charge of conspiracy to commit a kidnapping provides for a maximum penalty of up to life in prison, and up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. On Dec. 27, 2023, Kyle Mel and Isaiah Acevedo were killed. On Dec. 27, 2023, Kyle Mel and Isaiah Acevedo were killed. On Dec. 27, 2023, Kyle Mel and Isaiah Acevedo were killed. On Dec. 27, 2023, Kyle Mel and Isaiah Acevedo were killed. On Dec. 27, 2023, Kyle Mel and Isaiah Acevedo were killed. On Dec. 27, 2023, Kyle Mel and Isaiah Acevedo were killed. An attempted murder happened in Salem on Nov. 13, 2023. The victim was targeted because of his connection to a drug cartel that believed the victim had stolen drugs from them, officials said. In Sept. 2023, Jandriel Heredia and Abraham Diaz were killed Lynn. Eleven people are charged in connection with their murders. In Sept. 2023, Jandriel Heredia and Abraham Diaz were killed Lynn. Eleven people are charged in connection with their murders. Officials claim Trinitario member Westyn Lantigua was part of an attempted murder in June 2022. Officials claim Trinitario member Westyn Lantigua was part of an attempted murder in June 2022. Officials claim Trinitario member Westyn Lantigua was part of an attempted murder in June 2022. Officials claim Trinitario member Westyn Lantigua was part of an attempted murder in June 2022. Officials claim Trinitario member Westyn Lantigua was part of an attempted murder in June 2022. Officials said three members of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios participated in a shooting that targeted rival LCG gang members in June 2021. Officials said three members of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios participated in a shooting that targeted rival LCG gang members in June 2021. Officials said three members of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios participated in a shooting that targeted rival LCG gang members in June 2021. Officials said three members of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios participated in a shooting that targeted rival LCG gang members in June 2021. Officials said three members of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios participated in a shooting that targeted rival LCG gang members in June 2021. Officials said three members of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios participated in a shooting that targeted rival LCG gang members in June 2021. In February, officials announced charges against 24 members of the Massachusetts Trinitarios gang, including leadership, adding that it is a 'significant blow' to the criminal enterprise. Read more: Videos show how Trinitarios gang carried out violence across North Shore Two dozen leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios gang have been charged with federal offenses, including racketeering conspiracy, in connection with six murders and 11 attempted murders. Two individuals, who were 15 and 16 at the time of the criminal offenses, have been charged by the Essex County District Attorney's Office with murder. The Trinitarios started at Rikers Island in New York in the 1990s by people who were facing murder charges. It since spread to Massachusetts. In 2019, federal prosecutors also charged 32 people they accused of being members of a Lawrence-based branch of the gang. Mass. State Police identify trooper injured in hit-and-run motorcycle crash FirstLight power must lower Connecticut River for Turners Falls dam repair Recall alert: Walmart heated blankets linked to fires, burn injuries Country singer Cole Swindell to headline The Big E Arena for fall 2025 Karen Read jury initially swayed by 'personal feelings,' jury foreman says Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bronx gang member who struck fatal knife blow against Lesandro ‘Junior' Guzman Feliz resentenced
The Bronx gang member accused of delivering the fatal blow against 15-year-old Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman Feliz, but managed to get his first-degree murder conviction tossed, was resentenced to 25 years to life in the case that rattled the city to its core, officials said Saturday. Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 30, was initially facing life in prison without the possibility of parole when an appeals court vacated his murder one conviction in 2023, finding that 'the evidence did not establish the very specific elements of that crime.' Martinez-Estrella remained convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy, and gang assault. On Friday, a Bronx Criminal Court judge resentenced him to 25 years to life, Bronx DA Darcel Clark said. 'Thirteen other defendants who had a role in Junior's murder on June 20, 2018, have been held accountable for their actions and remain in prison serving their respective sentences,' Clark said. The killing, in which Junior was dragged into the street and slashed to death, drew outrage in the city at the time. The suspects, members of the Trinitarios gang were looking for a rival gang known as the Sunsets when they spotted their 15-year-old victim, police said at the time. Mistaking Junior for a Sunset member, they chased the teen to the Cruz and Chiky Grocery on E. 183rd St. near Bathgate Ave. in Belmont. There, several members yanked Junior out of the deli and butchered him with knives and a machete. Martinez-Estrella was caught on camera 'holding Junior by his sweatshirt' before he 'thrust his large knife directly into Junior's throat,' according to court papers. 'It is undisputed that the resulting wound, which was 4 and a half inches deep and severed the jugular vein, was the sole cause of death,' the documents read. A jury convicted Martinez-Estrella of first-degree murder, but the appellate court determined that prosecutors provided evidence that the one blow was a 'course of conduct' that inflicted 'extreme physical pain,' or that he 'evidenced a sense of pleasure in the infliction of extreme physical pain' — both requirements for the charge. In an exclusive 2019 interview Martinez-Estrella claimed he didn't kill Junior. He said he didn't have a tattoo like the one depicted on the killer and was in Pennsylvania at the time of the murder. '[I] didn't even know what Junior looked like until I saw his face on television,' he said at a Manhattan Detention Center awaiting trial.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bronx gang member who struck fatal knife blow against Lesandro ‘Junior' Guzman Feliz resentenced
The Bronx gang member accused of delivering the fatal blow against 15-year-old Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman Feliz, but managed to get his first-degree murder conviction tossed, was resentenced to 25 years to life in the case that rattled the city to its core, officials said Saturday. Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 30, was initially facing life in prison without the possibility of parole when an appeals court vacated his murder one conviction in 2023, finding that 'the evidence did not establish the very specific elements of that crime.' Martinez-Estrella remained convicted of second-degree murder, conspiracy, and gang assault. On Friday, a Bronx Criminal Court judge resentenced him to 25 years to life, Bronx DA Darcel Clark said. 'Thirteen other defendants who had a role in Junior's murder on June 20, 2018, have been held accountable for their actions and remain in prison serving their respective sentences,' Clark said. The killing, in which Junior was dragged into the street and slashed to death, drew outrage in the city at the time. The suspects, members of the Trinitarios gang were looking for a rival gang known as the Sunsets when they spotted their 15-year-old victim, police said at the time. Mistaking Junior for a Sunset member, they chased the teen to the Cruz and Chiky Grocery on E. 183rd St. near Bathgate Ave. in Belmont. There, several members yanked Junior out of the deli and butchered him with knives and a machete. Martinez-Estrella was caught on camera 'holding Junior by his sweatshirt' before he 'thrust his large knife directly into Junior's throat,' according to court papers. 'It is undisputed that the resulting wound, which was 4 and a half inches deep and severed the jugular vein, was the sole cause of death,' the documents read. A jury convicted Martinez-Estrella of first-degree murder, but the appellate court determined that prosecutors provided evidence that the one blow was a 'course of conduct' that inflicted 'extreme physical pain,' or that he 'evidenced a sense of pleasure in the infliction of extreme physical pain' — both requirements for the charge. In an exclusive 2019 interview Martinez-Estrella claimed he didn't kill Junior. He said he didn't have a tattoo like the one depicted on the killer and was in Pennsylvania at the time of the murder. '[I] didn't even know what Junior looked like until I saw his face on television,' he said at a Manhattan Detention Center awaiting trial.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Thug convicted in vicious 2018 gang slaying of ‘Junior' Guzman-Feliz gets new sentence after NY court tossed first-degree murder rap
A Bronx hood convicted in the vicious gang slaying of 15-year-old Lesandro 'Junior' Guzman-Feliz was hit with a new prison sentence after a state appeals court tossed his first-degree murder rap. Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 27, was among two dozen members of the 'Trinitarios' street gang busted in the shocking June 20, 2018, caught-on-video attack on the teenager at the Zesarina Grocery store in Belmont, in what authorities said was a case of mistaken identity. Martinez-Estrella was found guilty of first- and second-degree murder in the case in 2019, and was sentenced to a prison term of life without parole for allegedly delivering the death blow to the teen. But the convicted killer appealed and, in 2023, a New York State Appellate Division panel threw out the top charge, which carries the life without parole sentence. 'The evidence established that defendant committed an extremely heinous second-degree murder,' the panel's decision said. 'However, we vacate his conviction of first-degree murder under [the law] because the evidence did not establish the very specific element of that crime.' Shipped back to Bronx Supreme Court, Martinez-Estrella was hit with the top sentence of 25 years to life behind bars on the second-degree murder charge, Bronx prosecutors said. The vicious murder shocked the Big Apple for its senseless brutality. Martinez-Estrella and his cowardly crew were out looking for members of the rival 'Sunsets' gang when they spotted Guzman-Feliz near the bodega — and chased him inside. Despite the teen's claims that he wasn't a gang member, the mob beat him in the store, then dragged him into the street and hacked him to death with knives and machetes, leaving his lifeless body behind. Following the arrests, the smug killers smiled and flashed gang signs in court. But justice eventually caught up with all of the suspects. 'Thirteen other defendants who had a role in Junior's murder on June 20, 2018, have been held accountable for their actions and remain in prison serving their respective sentences,' the Bronx District Attorney's Office said in a press release Friday.
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
'Gang member' arrested in Spain over the murder of a British 21-year-old after international manhunt
An alleged gang member wanted over the fatal stabbing of a young man in London has been arrested near Barcelona following an international manhunt. Spanish police detained the fugitive at the request of UK authorities and said that he belonged to the notorious Latin gang Trinitarios. The unnamed detainee, wanted in connection with the death of 21-year-old Giovanny Rendon Bedoya in Walworth, south London, on April 14, was arrested as he entered a restaurant in the town of Sabadell around 15 miles north-west of Barcelona. He now faces extradition to the UK and a possible 'life sentence,' according to Spanish authorities. MailOnline has approached Metropolitan Police for comment. Giovanny died after he was attacked on Hillingdon Street last month following reports of fighting between a number of people armed with knives. The 21-year-old, who lived locally, sustained serious injuries and was treated by the London Ambulance Service before he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of police and paramedics to save him. Following the incident five men and a woman were detained near Kennington but had been bailed. Four of the men have been named by police as Joseph Jimenez, 21; Angel Gonzales Angulo, 19; Brian Villada-Hernandes, 19; and Zozoro Mohamed Olivier, 20. Cops previously said a 17-year-old boy was also arrested on suspicion of murder. Confirming the arrest near Barcelona today, Spain's National Police said in a statement: 'National Police officers have arrested a member of the Trinitarios gang in the town of Sabadell in Barcelona who is wanted by the British justice system after allegedly committing a murder in the United Kingdom. 'An international arrest warrant was issued for him after the crime which took place on April 14. 'He could face a life sentence for attacking with five other alleged members of the same gang, another young man from a rival gang who was killed. 'The investigation was launched by the British authorities on 14 April when the fugitive and five other alleged members of the Trinitarios gang violently accosted another young man from a rival gang following a dispute. 'During the assault, they allegedly caused serious injuries to the victim including the amputation of fingers, the loss of an organ and multiple fractures and stabbed him in the abdomen, resulting in his death. 'After the man arrested in Sabadell was identified as one of the alleged perpetrators, it was discovered that he could be in Spain with the intention of fleeing to his native Dominican Republic. 'Once the British National Crime Agency liaison officers informed Spanish officers the fugitive could be here, they began an investigation to locate and arrest him. 'The initial investigations by officers revealed he could be hiding somewhere in the province of Barcelona, and surveillance and tracking was undertaken in the areas he could frequent. 'During one of the surveillance operations, the fugitive was located when he was about to enter a restaurant and identified and arrested.' The Trinitarios gang is said to have been founded in 1993 by two Dominicans facing separate murder charges being held in the Rikers Islands New York City jail. Spiralling violence around Madrid in recent years has been blamed on the fracturing and spread of Dominican gangs which have become Spain's primary urban security threat.
