New York federal judge sentences 23-year-old gang member to 25 years following guilty plea in racketeering case involving multiple violent offenses and drug trafficking

New York – Yesterday, Jerrin Pena, known by the aliases “Rooga” and “Perry,” and identified as a prominent member of the Own Every Dollar (OED) gang, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, comes after Pena pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including racketeering conspiracy and the murder of an innocent bystander, Hector Cruz, in 2019.

The case was prosecuted in the Southern District of New York, where Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky has emphasized the tragic nature of the crime and the broader efforts to combat gang violence in the area.

“Yesterday’s lengthy prison sentence hopefully brings some measure of comfort to the family of Hector Cruz, and reinforces this Office’s commitment to ending gang violence throughout New York City,” Podolsky stated.

According to court documents, on the evening of April 14, 2019, Pena, alongside other gang members, targeted a rival gang on West 135th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan. In a failed attempt to shoot a rival gang member, Pena fatally wounded Hector Cruz, a 57-year-old bystander, who succumbed to a liver gunshot wound approximately one month later.

Pena’s criminal activities extended beyond this tragic incident. While in federal custody in 2023, he was involved in an attempted murder of another inmate. Furthermore, he was implicated in a gunpoint robbery of a drug dealer in 2022 near Riverside Drive and West 145th Street, and in narcotics and firearms trafficking operations that moved illegal substances and weapons from Pennsylvania to New York.

This case against Pena and the OED gang, a subset of the larger Trinitarios gang based around Washington Heights, encompassed charges against 24 members and associates, including allegations of five murders and 15 attempted murders. To date, 16 other defendants have also entered guilty pleas in relation to this case.

In addition to his prison term, Pena, aged 23, will undergo five years of supervised release following his incarceration. The successful conclusion of this case has been attributed to the collaborative efforts of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The proceedings were overseen by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexandra Messiter, part of the Office’s Narcotics Unit, highlighting the ongoing commitment of federal and local law enforcement to tackle organized crime and ensure safety and justice for the communities of New York City.