Jim Kouri
Latin Kings gang leader, lieutenants nabbed in Brooklyn
By Jim Kouri
Eleven members of the dangerous and brutal Latin Kings Gang were nabbed by cops and charged with drug trafficking, robbery conspiracy, and credit card fraud. The highest-ranking member of the Latin Kings in New York State, Isaac Almanzar is among those charged including several of his lieutenants — Pedro Medina, Jose Cruz, Benjamin Fugueroa and others.
FBI agents and New York City Police officers executed search warrants at four locations in Brooklyn controlled or used by the defendants — 179 Starr Street, 81 Central Avenue, 179 Jefferson Street, and 180 Jefferson Street — and seized over twenty thousand dollars in U.S. currency, two firearms, multiple fraudulent credit cards, and quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana packaged for resale.
The charges followed a twenty-one month joint FBI and NYPD investigation coordinated by the United States Attorney's Office aimed at dismantling a large-scale drug trafficking gang responsible for distributing up to $2,000 of crack cocaine per day in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. The prosecution is part of an ongoing initiative to eliminate violent street gangs that erode the quality of life in many of the district's neighborhoods.
Almanzar was the leader of the drug distribution organization and was recently promoted to First Crown of the Supreme Team, the Latin Kings management committee. As such, he's currently the highest-ranking member of the Latin Kings in New York State. He used this position to organize and oversee the distribution of narcotics, frequently employing other members of the Latin Kings to sell crack cocaine from numerous drug spots in Brooklyn.
One complaint charges two members of the Latin Kings with a violent robbery conspiracy during which they twice assaulted another member of the Latin Kings and stole approximately $4,700 in cash. A second complaint charges a member with credit card fraud based on his possession of credit card numbers and social security numbers belonging to others.
"Combating violent gangs and stopping the flow of illegal drugs is a priority of this Office," stated United States Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf.
"This case is the latest of several joint operations demonstrating our commitment to protecting New York neighborhoods from violent street gangs. For years, this Latin Kings crew controlled the drug trade in the area of Jefferson Street and Central and Irving Avenues in Brooklyn through fear and intimidation. With this prosecution we have ended their reign and taken another step toward returning one of our communities to its law-abiding residents."
If convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine base, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison, a life term of supervised release, and a $4,000,000 fine. The defendants charged with robbery conspiracy, face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The defendant charged with credit card fraud, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
(Special thanks to the New York City Police Department for their assistance with this column.)
Jim Kouri will appear tonight (9/1) at 6 PM (et) on "Dateline: Washington" syndicated throughout the US on the Radio America Network. The subject will be policing in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina. The show may be heard on stations or on the Radio America website. WWW.RadioAmerica.Org
© Jim Kouri
Eleven members of the dangerous and brutal Latin Kings Gang were nabbed by cops and charged with drug trafficking, robbery conspiracy, and credit card fraud. The highest-ranking member of the Latin Kings in New York State, Isaac Almanzar is among those charged including several of his lieutenants — Pedro Medina, Jose Cruz, Benjamin Fugueroa and others.
FBI agents and New York City Police officers executed search warrants at four locations in Brooklyn controlled or used by the defendants — 179 Starr Street, 81 Central Avenue, 179 Jefferson Street, and 180 Jefferson Street — and seized over twenty thousand dollars in U.S. currency, two firearms, multiple fraudulent credit cards, and quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana packaged for resale.
The charges followed a twenty-one month joint FBI and NYPD investigation coordinated by the United States Attorney's Office aimed at dismantling a large-scale drug trafficking gang responsible for distributing up to $2,000 of crack cocaine per day in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. The prosecution is part of an ongoing initiative to eliminate violent street gangs that erode the quality of life in many of the district's neighborhoods.
Almanzar was the leader of the drug distribution organization and was recently promoted to First Crown of the Supreme Team, the Latin Kings management committee. As such, he's currently the highest-ranking member of the Latin Kings in New York State. He used this position to organize and oversee the distribution of narcotics, frequently employing other members of the Latin Kings to sell crack cocaine from numerous drug spots in Brooklyn.
One complaint charges two members of the Latin Kings with a violent robbery conspiracy during which they twice assaulted another member of the Latin Kings and stole approximately $4,700 in cash. A second complaint charges a member with credit card fraud based on his possession of credit card numbers and social security numbers belonging to others.
"Combating violent gangs and stopping the flow of illegal drugs is a priority of this Office," stated United States Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf.
"This case is the latest of several joint operations demonstrating our commitment to protecting New York neighborhoods from violent street gangs. For years, this Latin Kings crew controlled the drug trade in the area of Jefferson Street and Central and Irving Avenues in Brooklyn through fear and intimidation. With this prosecution we have ended their reign and taken another step toward returning one of our communities to its law-abiding residents."
If convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine base, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison, a life term of supervised release, and a $4,000,000 fine. The defendants charged with robbery conspiracy, face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The defendant charged with credit card fraud, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
(Special thanks to the New York City Police Department for their assistance with this column.)
Jim Kouri will appear tonight (9/1) at 6 PM (et) on "Dateline: Washington" syndicated throughout the US on the Radio America Network. The subject will be policing in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina. The show may be heard on stations or on the Radio America website. WWW.RadioAmerica.Org
© Jim Kouri
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