By Nancy Peckenham
Federal law enforcement officials dealt a blow to the Newburgh Latin Kings on Thursday, charging 31 of its alleged members and associates with murder, attempted murder, racketeering and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, heroin, powder cocaine and marijuana.
A joint investigation by the FBI, ATF and city of Newburgh police led to the indictment that comes nine months after 78 people were rounded up in a crack down on both the Newburgh Latin Kings and the Newburgh Bloods.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District in Westchester, along with Orange County District Attorney Frank Phillips unsealed the superseding indictment, which charges seven men with the murders of Jeffrey Zachery in May 2008,and of Jerome Scarlett and John Maldonado in March 2010
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara praised the crackdown, saying “”Today’s arrests represent the latest salvo in our campaign to rid the City of Newburgh of the scourge that calls itself the Latin Kings. The unprecedented crackdown on gangs that we launched last May continues in earnest.”
Newburgh police chief Michael Ferrara noted that because of “devastating cuts to our police department,” it was necessary to get outside law enforcement help to combat a long history of gang and drug violence.
The indictment describes how the Newburgh chapter of the Latin Kings has operated in the East End of Newburgh, where it was governed by a council of five officers, referred to as crowns (collectively, the “Crown Council”). “The Crown Council wielded great power and directed punishments, known as ‘violations,’ against members who were determined to have committed transgressions. In some instances, the Crown Council used meetings to order attacks on individuals and rival gangs,” according to the indictment. It alleges that eight of the men arrested Thursday have held positions on the Crown Council.
Twenty-seven of the defendants are Newburgh residents and one each is from Highland Mills, Highland Falls, Plattekill and Schenectady. Only one, Carlos Ortiz, aka “King Tone” is not in police custody.
Those charged today are:
WILSON PAGAN, Newburgh, New York
CHRISTIAN SANCHEZ, Newburgh, New York
PEDRO HERRERA, Newburgh, New York
ARMANDO SANCHEZ, Newburgh, New York
LUIS TAMBITO, Newburgh, New York
JASON CARABALLO, Newburgh, New York
OSMAN NUNEZ, Newburgh, New York
JOSE LAGOS, Newburgh, New York
CARLOS ROMERO, Newburgh, New York
CHRISTOPHER MCNAIR, Newburgh, New York
WILLIAM OVERTON, Highland Falls, New York
THOMAS JIMENEZ, Newburgh, New York
STEVEN LEWIS, Newburgh, New York
HUMBERTO MORALES, Newburgh, New York
WILFREDO SANCHEZ, Newburgh, New York
FELIX LAGARES, Newburgh, New York
KELVIN LAGARES, Newburgh, New York
JUAN RIOS, Newburgh, New York
ANDREW SANCHEZ, Newburgh, New York
WILFREDO NIEVES, Newburgh, New York
NOEL VELEZ, Newburgh, New York
NELSON CALDERON, Schenectady, New York
RICARDO RAMOS, Newburgh, New York
NICHOLAS COLON, Highland Mills, New York
CARLOS ORTIZ, Newburgh, New York
DAMON SINCLAIR, Newburgh, New York
ANGELO DELEON, Newburgh, New York
DEVON SMITH, Newburgh, New York
EDNA REYES, Newburgh, New York
RANDY ANGULO, Plattekill, New York
LEO AUSTIN, Newburgh, New York
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