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TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that a Latin Kings gang member from Jersey
City has been sentenced to state prison
for crimes he committed as the leader of
a network that distributed cocaine and illegal
guns.
According
to Director Taylor, Rafael R. Rivera, 33,
of Jersey City, was sentenced yesterday
to 10 years in state prison, including 3
½ years without possibility of parole,
by Superior Court Judge Kevin G. Callahan
in Hudson County. Rivera pleaded guilty
on June 8 to a two-count accusation charging
him with first-degree distribution of cocaine
and third-degree unlawful disposition of
a sawed-off shotgun.
The
charges were the result of an investigation
by the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs
& Organized Crime Bureau, conducted
with assistance from the Jersey City Police
Department. In April 2009, the Division
of Criminal Justice initiated an investigation
into a narcotics distribution ring under
the control of members of the Almighty Latin
King and Queen Nation street gang, or Latin
Kings, operating in and around Jersey City.
The investigation focused on Rivera, also
known as “Rome,” a member of
the Latin Kings who led the ring.
During
the course of the investigation, an undercover
detective from the Division of Criminal
Justice purchased 20 ounces of cocaine,
three handguns, and two sawed-off shotguns
from Rivera. The investigation also resulted
in the arrests of 12 other defendants, who
have either pleaded guilty and are facing
prison sentences ranging from three to five
years or are facing pending charges.
Rivera
has a lengthy criminal history. Since 1995,
he has been arrested 19 times and has seven
prior convictions on narcotics and theft
charges.
Deputy Attorney General Paul Salvatoriello
represented the state at the sentencing
hearing. The investigation was conducted
and coordinated for the Division of Criminal
Justice by Deputy Attorney General Salvatoriello,
Deputy Attorney General David Noble, Detective
Mario B. Estrada, Lt. Christopher Donohue,
Detective Patrick Sole, Detective Ho Chul
Shin, Detective Brian Bruton, Detective
Noelle Holl and Detective Richard Dasilva
Jr. They were assisted by members of the
Jersey City Police Department, under the
supervision of Chief Thomas Comey.
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