By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in NJ reported the arrest of 19 alleged gang member then charged them as part of an operation to dismantle a Perth Amboy street gang suspected of trafficking drugs and firearms and committing a series of violent crimes, including a machete attack on a member of a rival gang.
According to NJ Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, sixteen adults and three juveniles have been charged following a 10-month-long joint investigation by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and the Perth Amboy Police Special Investigation Unit, with assistance from the Somerset and Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Offices.
Authorities say it is believed to be a local subset of the Dominicans Don’t Play gang, Hot Boys Mafia allegedly used smartphone apps to distribute narcotics and committed violent acts against rival gang members in and around the Perth Amboy area.
Law enforcement descended, officials said, on three locations in Perth Amboy on June 20, 2023, on Rector Street, Steadman Avenue, and Long Ferry Road, where officers apprehended all but one of the suspects.
All while confiscating $9,000 in cash, 13 pounds of Marijuana, a 9-mm handgun, several kilos of imitation drugs, hundreds of marijuana vape cartridges, boxes of pills, and ammunition, along with drug distribution packaging materials, such as digital scales coated with drug residue.
AG Platkin said the gang was allegedly under the command of Domingo Paulino, 29, of Perth Amboy, and his second-in-command, Adonis “Pantera” Estevez, 21, of Perth Amboy, both charged with racketeering and a series of drug offenses stemming from their oversight of the gang.
Police are searching for Estevez, who is still a fugitive.
According to the investigation, HBM members committed carjacking, aggravated assaults, firearms offenses, and other crimes as part of a long-running feud with members of other criminal organizations, including the Trinitarios and Always Cumulating Racks street gangs between at least October 11, 2022, and January 17, 2023.
The DCJ investigation determined that one of the main goals of the HBM was to purge opposing gangs from Perth Amboy by intimidating and assaulting rival gang members, officials said.
Police say the violent crimes allegedly committed by the defendants included a machete attack on October 11, 2022, that sent a reputed member of the Trinitarios street gang to Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge with head lacerations that had to be stapled shut.
In another incident, on April 26, 2022, five males believed to be members of HBM approached a vehicle being operated by a rival gang member in Perth Amboy and carjacked the victim, according to Attorney General Platkin.
Detectives also learned that HBM members operating dirt bikes swarmed a vehicle driving in the Hopelawn section of Woodbridge on April 12, 2023, damaged the car with a helmet, and beat the driver unconscious with a helmet and their fists.
The investigation revealed that HBM conducted online drug sales, using Instagram and the Telegram messenger app to facilitate the distribution of various drugs, while also running a brick-and-mortar operation — dealing cocaine out of a multi-family house on Steadman Place in Perth Amboy.
Police also discovered that thousands of dollars flowed regularly from the high-ranking gang member who allegedly oversaw the Steadman Place racket, Henderson Gomez, 29, of Perth Amboy, to the reputed gang leader, Paulino.
Attorney General Platkin said the gang also allegedly conspired to illegally distribute guns.
The investigation revealed that three reputed HBM members — Angel Santiago, Elias Fuentes, and a juvenile whose name is not being released — traveled to Georgia in August 2022 to get firearms and return them to New Jersey.
After noticing blood spatter on the exterior of the car being used by the suspects, police in Georgia obtained a warrant to search the vehicle.
Authorities said they discovered a bullet hole in the rear of the driver’s seat and seized six firearms, 227 bullets, several handgun magazines, and suspected Marijuana.
One of the firearms had been reported stolen in Georgia.
“These defendants allegedly profited by fueling twin crises that destroy lives and pose ongoing challenges for our communities and law enforcement: illegal drug use and gun violence,” said Attorney General Platkin.
“I am grateful to the professionals in the Division of Criminal Justice and the Perth Amboy Police Department for their excellent police work. We will vigorously pursue those who provide an illegal pipeline of firearms and narcotics that cut lives short, lead our residents on a path toward addiction, and render our neighborhoods less safe.”
“The successful investigation of this dangerous organization, which was allegedly aggressively and violently working to establish a narcotics-distribution monopoly, will improve public safety in the city of Perth Amboy,” said Derek Nececkas, Interim Director of the Division of Criminal Justice.
“We will not tolerate New Jersey’s great cities, rich with culture and history, being reduced to battlegrounds where turf wars between criminal organizations are fought.”
“The takedown of the Hot Boys Mafia sends a clear message to all who engage in criminal activities and threaten the safety and well-being of our residents: law enforcement agencies in New Jersey stand united and will not rest until justice is served,” said Chief Lawrence Cattano of the Perth Amboy Police.
“The men and women of our Police Department will continue to work tirelessly to rid our streets of criminal organizations and ensure that Perth Amboy remains a safe place for all.”
The investigation was led by Detective Matthew Lyons of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) Violence Suppression and Organized Crime Unit, under the supervision of Lt. Kevin Gannon and with critical support from the Perth Amboy Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorneys General Mohammad Mahmood and Amie Hyde, under the supervision of Deputy Chief of the Violence Suppression and Organized Crime Unit, Cassandra Montalto, and Bureau Chief Lauren Scarpa Yfantis.
Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Mahmood is handling the prosecution for the DCJ Violence Suppression and Organized Crime Unit under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Cassandra Montalto and Bureau Chief Lauren Scarpa Yfantis.
The investigation was conducted for the DCJ Violence Suppression & Organized Crime Unit by Detective Matthew Lyons, who was lead detective, Sergeant Scott Caponi, Lieutenant Kevin Gannon, and Deputy Chief Kevin Weinkauff, the Perth Amboy Police, and Special Investigations Unit, officials say.
The adult defendants are charged as follows:
Domingo Paulino, 29, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Leader of Organized Crime — 2nd Degree
Promoting Organized Street Crime — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (cocaine) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Aggravated Assault (two counts)
Henderson Gomez, 29, of Perth Amboy
Promoting Organized Street Crime — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (cocaine) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Distribution of CDS (cocaine) — 2nd Degree
Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a CDS Offense — 2nd Degree
Money Laundering — 3rd Degree
Possession with Intent to Distribute Imitation CDS — 3rd Degree
Imanol Rodriguez, 19, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Commit Robbery — 2nd Degree
Carjacking — 1st Degree
Robbery — 1st Degree
Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose
Unlawful Possession of a Weapon — 2nd Degree
Aggravated Assault — 4th Degree
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Possession of a Weapons for an Unlawful Purpose — 3rd Degree (machete)
Kerlin Adino-Rodriguez, 21, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (cocaine) — 2nd Degree
Possession of CDS (cocaine) — 3rd Degree
Distribution of CDS (cocaine) — 2nd Degree
Possession of CDS (fentanyl) — 3rd Degree
Distribution of CDS (fentanyl pills) — 3rd Degree
Adonis Estevez, 21, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Angel Santiago, 19, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Traffic Weapons from Out-of-State for Sale — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Transfer or Dispose of Weapons — 4th Degree
Conspiracy to Possess a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose — 2nd Degree
Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a CDS Offense — 2nd Degree
Elias Fuentes, 19, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Traffic Weapons from Out-of-State for Sale — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Transfer or Dispose of Weapons – 4th Degree
Conspiracy to Possession a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose — 2nd Degree
Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a CDS Offense — 2nd Degree
Henry Basora, 31, of Perth Amboy
Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Nazir Clark, 20, of Perth Amboy
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Possess a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose — 2nd Degree
Jean Carlos Mercado Rodriguez, 22, of Perth Amboy
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Possess a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose — 2nd Degree
Miguel Baez-Ruiz, 20, of Perth Amboy
Racketeering — 1st Degree
Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Assault — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Possess a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose — 2nd Degree
Juelz Vaughn, 18, of Perth Amboy
Conspiracy to Distribute CDS (Marijuana) — 2nd Degree
Conspiracy to Possess a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose — 2nd Degree
Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a CDS Offense — 2nd Degree
Rosselyn Rosario, 32, of Perth Amboy
Possession with Intent to Distribute Imitation CDS — 3rd Degree
Unlawful Possession of a Handgun — 2nd Degree
Possession of a Firearm During the Course of Committing a CDS offense — 2nd Degree
Argenis Gomez-Olivares, 31, of Perth Amboy
Possession with Intent to Distribute Imitation CDS — 3rd Degree
Dersi Olivares, 57, of Perth Amboy
Possession with Intent to Distribute Imitation CDS — 3rd Degree
Maureen Shenouda, 42, of Perth Amboy
Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana — 2nd Degree
Possession of Five Pounds or More of Marijuana — 4th Degree
The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are assumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
Defense counsel
For Domingo Paulino: Steven D. Altman, Esq.
For Henderson Gomez: John J. Perrone, Esq.
For Imanol Rodriguez: Carlos Diaz-Cobo, Esq.
For Kerlin Adino-Rodriguez: Office of the Public Defender
For Angel Santiago: Guillermo R Arango Jr., Esq.
For Elias Fuentes: Edward Hesketh, Esq.
For Henry Basora: Lindsay B. Gargano, Esq.
For Nazir Clark: Louis Mangione, Jr., Esq.
For Jean Carlos Mercado Rodriguez: Ricardo L. Del Rio
For Miguel Baez-Ruiz: Office of the Public Defender
For Juelz Vaughn: Office of the Public Defender