Perth Amboy drug and gun trafficking gang dismantled in joint operation, AG says

Nineteen people, including three juveniles, have been charged following a nearly yearlong investigation into a Perth Amboy street gang suspected of trafficking drugs and firearms and committing a series of violent crimes, including a machete attack on a rival gang member.

The 16 adults, all from Perth Amboy, and three juveniles are believed to be a local subset of the Dominicans Don't Play gang, called Hot Boys Mafia (HBM). Members allegedly used smartphone apps to distribute narcotics and commit violent acts against rival gang members in and around Perth Amboy, according to state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

They were charged following a 10-month investigation by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and Perth Amboy Police Department's Special Investigation Unit with assistance from the prosecutor's offices from Somerset and Middlesex counties.

The arrests are believed to have dismantled the street gang's operations.

"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 Platkin, who thanked Perth Amboy police for their 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.”

“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," added Derek Nececkas, interim director of the Division of Criminal Justice.

On June 20, police responded to Rector Street, Steadman Place and Long Ferry Road in Perth Amboy where they apprehended all but one of the suspects and confiscated $9,000 in cash, 13 pounds of marijuana, a 9mm handgun, several kilos of imitation drugs, hundreds of marijuana vape cartridges, boxes of pills and ammunition and drug distribution packaging materials including digital scales with drug residue, according to the Attorney General's Office.

The gang was allegedly led by Domingo Paulino, 29, and his second-in-command, Adonis "Pantera" Estevez, 31, who remains at large.

Paulino has been charged with racketeering and promoting organized street crime, both first-degree offenses, as well as leader of organized crime, conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated assault. Estevez has been charged with racketeering and conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

The investigation indicates HBM members were allegedly involved in a carjacking, aggravated assaults, firearm offenses and other crimes between at least Oct. 11, 2022, and Jan. 17, 2023, as part of a long-running feud with members of the Trinitarios and Always Cumulating Racks street gangs in an effort to purge opposing gangs from Perth Amboy by intimidating and assaulting rival gang members.

The HBM members allegedly were involved in an Oct. 11, 2022, machete attack in which a member of the Trinitarios suffered a head laceration that had to be stapled shut at Hackensack Meridian Old Bridge Medical Center.

On April 26, 2022, five men believed to be HBM members approached a vehicle driven by a rival gang member in Perth Amboy and allegedly carjacked the vehicle.

And on April 12, 2023, HBM members riding dirt bikes allegedly swarmed a vehicle in the Hopelawn section of Woodbridge and damaged the car with helmets and beat the driver unconscious, according to the Attorney General's Office.

The investigation also indicates gang members allegedly conducted drug sales online using Instagram and the Telegram messenger app, while also running a brick-and-mortar operation selling cocaine out of a multi-family home on Steadman Place.

Police also discovered thousands of dollars allegedly regularly flowed from Henderson Gomez, 29, a high-ranking gang member who oversaw the Steadman Place operation, to the reputed gang leader Paulino.

Gomez has been charged with promoting organized street crime, a first-degree offense, as well as conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of cocaine, possession of a firearm during the commission of a drug offense, money laundering and possession with the intent to distribute imitation drugs, the Attorney General's Office said.

The gang allegedly also was involved in the illegal distribution of guns. Three members, Angel Santiago and Elias Fuentes, both 19, and a juvenile whose name was not released, allegedly traveled to Georgia in August 2022 to get firearms and bring them to New Jersey. Georgia police obtained a warrant to search their vehicle and found 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.

Santiago and Fuentes were both charged with racketeering, a first-degree crime, as well as conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to traffic weapons from out-of-state for sale, conspiracy to transfer or dispose of weapons, conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of a weapon during the commission of a CDS offense.

Also arrested were Imanol Rodriguez, 19, who was charged with racketeering, robbery, carjacking, all first-degree crimes, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to commit robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose,

Kerlin Adino-Rodriguez, 21, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to distribute cocaine , possession of cocaine, distribution of cocaine, possession of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl pills.

Also arrested were: Henry Basora, 31, who was charged with aggravated assault; Nazir Clark, 20, charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose; Jean Carlos Mercado Rodriguez, 22 was charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose; Miguel Baez-Ruiz, 20, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose;

Juelz Vaughn, 18, was charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to possess a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon during the commission of a drug offense; Rosselyn Rosario, 32, was charged with possession with intent to distribute imitation CDS, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a firearm during the course of committing a CDS offense; Argenis Gomez-Olivares, 31, and Dersi Olivares, 57 were both charged with possession with intent to distribute imitation CDS and Maureen Shenouda, 42, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of five pounds or more of marijuana, according to the Attorney General's Office.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Perth Amboy NJ gang dismantled in joint operation, AG says