JANUARY 26, 2005

NINE MEMBERS OF LATIN KINGS GANG CHARGED

WITH CONSPIRACY

TRENTON — Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. announced the indictment of the leader of Trenton’s Latin Kings street gang and eight of his subordinates on charges related to a conspiracy plot to murder a Trenton woman who witnessed the gang’s attempted hit of a fellow member. 

“The arrest of these individuals was just the beginning,” Prosecutor Bocchini said.  “As prosecutors, we will use every tool available to us to ensure that gang members face the maximum penalties allowed by law.” 

“The indictment serves as a warning to gangs in Mercer County that we will not sit idly by while they terrorize our communities,” he continued.  “Their violent actions will not go unpunished.”  

The Mercer County grand jury indictment charges that the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) has been in existence in the city of Trenton since the mid to late 1990s.  In November 2003, Roberto “Bam Bam” Rodriguez, who was originally from Chicago, Illinois, was voted in as “Inca” or the 1^st crown of the Trenton Tribe of the Latin Kings.  The “Inca” or 1^st crown is the highest ranking Latin King of the Trenton Tribe.   

Roberto Rodriguez held the title of Inca until approximately July 4, 2004, when he was voted out by the membership of the Trenton Tribe of the Latin Kings and Jose Negrete was voted in.  Negrete, who was originally from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, was known to the Trenton Tribe of the Latin Kings as a well spoken and articulate individual who knew the history and culture of the Latin Kings.

In August 2004, the Trenton Latin Kings were involved in an ongoing conflict with a rival gang, the Netas.  The war began after Neta gang member Alex Ruiz AKA “Alkey” denounced his affiliation with the Netas and began to associate with the Latin Kings.  The defection resulted in violent confrontations in furtherance of the Trenton Tribe of the Latin Kings.   

During the time period when Alex Ruiz began to associate with the Latin Kings, fellow gang member Jeri Lynn Dotson AKA “Nena” allowed him to live in the basement of her home located at 618 Chestnut Avenue in Trenton.  Until approximately one month prior to her death, Dotson was engaged in an intimate relationship with the leader of the Neta Association, Fernando Rivera.  Negrete found the relationship to be problematic because of the rivalry between the gangs and believed that Dotson was sharing information with the Netas.  The relationship ended due to the conflict. 

On August 25, 2004, the Latin Kings and the Netas arranged a meeting at the 611 ball field in Hamilton to discuss the ongoing feud.  Members of both groups proceeded to the ball field but the meeting never occurred because it was interrupted by Trenton and Hamilton Township police.  

In the afternoon of August 30, 2004, a meeting occurred between Jose Negrete and Fernando Rivera at the 7-11 convenience store at the corner of Olden and New York avenues in Trenton.  During the meeting, Negrete agreed to turn Ruiz over to the Netas believing that he would be killed.  Later that day, Alex Ruiz was at the Third Street Park with Latin King members Angel Hernandez, Wilfredo Rosa, Jonathan Rodriguez and Josue Maldonado.  Jose Negrete and Esmeraldo Rodriguez arrived at the park and Negrete instructed the Latin King members to leave Ruiz to the Netas.  Soon after, a group of Netas appeared in the park, prompting Hernandez, Rosa, Rodriguez and Maldonado to abandon Ruiz pursuant to Negrete’s orders.  Ruiz was taken to Hetzel Field in Trenton where he was beaten, effectively ending his association with the Netas.   

Ruiz returned to 618 Chestnut Avenue and contacted Esmeraldo Rodriguez.  After discovering that Ruiz was still alive, Negrete ordered Esmeraldo Rodriguez, Roberto Rodriguez, Rhadames Acosta and Joey Martinez to proceed to 618 Chestnut Avenue to execute Ruiz.  In accordance with Negrete’s orders, the four men drove to 618 Chestnut Avenue and lured Ruiz into their vehicle.  Once inside the car, Ruiz was strangled with a cord until he was believed to be dead and his body was discarded in a dumpster on Duck Island in Trenton.  Unbeknownst to his assailants, Ruiz survived the attack and was later discovered by the New Jersey State Police wandering on the exit ramp from Route 29 to Route 295 South. 

Negrete was informed that Ruiz was dead and told that Jeri Lynn Dotson witnessed the luring of Ruiz from her home.  In response, Negrete ordered Angel Hernandez, Josue Maldonado, Maurice Young, Jorge Gomez and Joey Martinez to execute Dotson.  The five men proceeded to 618 Chestnut Avenue where Jeri Lynn Dotson was shot and killed execution-style in her basement.  Her body was found at approximately 7:15 a.m. on August 31, 2004.  The investigation revealed that Dotson had been shot once in the back of the head.

On September 8, 2004, Jeri Lynn Dotson was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton Township.  Jose Negrete, Angel Hernandez, Josue Maldonado, Roberto Rodriguez, Rhadames Acosta, Jorge Gomez, Esmeraldo Rodriguez and Joey Martinez attended her funeral.   

The indictment was handed up to Mercer County Superior Court Judge Maryann K. Bielamowicz on January 25. 

The defendants charged in the indictment are: 

• Jose L. Negrete AKA “Boom Bap,” 23, of Brunswick Avenue, Trenton.  Charged with conspiracy, attempted murder, murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of handguns and tampering with physical evidence.

• Angel J. Hernandez AKA “Ace,” 20, of Mott Street, Trenton.  Charged with conspiracy, murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of handguns and tampering with physical evidence.

• Esmeraldo Rodriguez AKA “Esmo,” 20, of Monmouth Street, Trenton. Charged with conspiracy and attempted murder.

• Roberto Rodriguez AKA “Bam Bam,” 31, of North Stockton Street, Trenton. Charged with conspiracy and attempted murder.

• Jorge Gomez AKA “Sins,” 22, of South Broad Street, Trenton. Charged with conspiracy, murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of handguns and tampering with physical evidence.

• Maurice M. Young AKA “Reece,” 20, of Mott Street, Trenton. Charged with conspiracy, murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of handguns and tampering with physical evidence.

• Joey Martinez AKA “Joey,” 22, of Nottingham Way, Hamilton. Charged with conspiracy, attempted murder, murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of handguns and tampering with physical evidence.

• Josue Maldonado AKA “Sway,” 20, of Third Street, Trenton. Charged with conspiracy, murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of handguns and tampering with physical evidence.

• Rhadames Acosta AKA “Havy,” 18, of Union Street, Trenton. Charged with conspiracy and attempted murder.

All of the defendants remain in prison in lieu of bail.

Prosecutor Bocchini credited his office and the Trenton police for their exhaustive efforts and painstakingly detailed investigation.

Trenton Police Director Joseph Santiago stated, "The tireless investigation of the murder of Jeri Lynn Dotson by the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Trenton Police Department resulted not only in the arrests of her killers but also the downfall of the leadership of the Latin Kings in Trenton.  The hard work of Trenton detectives investigating other violent crimes last year took down the leadership of three other street gangs.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Thomas Meidt, chief of the Homicide Unit, and Robert Stevens, chief of the Gang Unit.

An indictment is merely an accusation.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.