Trinitarios

The Trinitarios or 3ni are a violent New York-based gang composed of Dominican Americans. The name Trinitarios comes from three main Dominican revolutionaries of the Dominican War of Independence: Duarte (Juan Pablo Duarte), Sanchez (Francisco del Rosario Sánchez), and Mella (Matías Ramón Mella).^[1] The Trinitarios were established in 1989 within the New York State prison system^[2] and has since spilled into the streets, with chapters in all five boroughs of New York City. Reports of Trinitario activity have also been made in several US states, Spain, and the Dominican Republic.

It is considered one of the fastest-growing gangs in New York, recruiting members from high schools local to the gang's area of activity, with the highest numbers of reports coming from Chelsea, Gramercy Park, Harlem, Inwood, the Morris Heights section of the Bronx and Washington Heights.^[3] Their slogan is "Dios, Patria, y Libertad" (the official motto of the Dominican Republic), which means "God, Fatherland (or Homeland), and Liberty (or Freedom)". Their colors are red, blue, white (the colors of the Dominican Republic flag), and (most significantly) lime green.

Locations and membership

One of the largest street gangs in New York City and New Jersey. Reports of Trinitarios have been made in other states like Georgia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Also growing group in Maryland and Washington D.C^[4] They like to wear New York Yankees and New York Jets gear.

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges

In 2011, Fifty members and associates of the Bronx Trinitarios Gang (BTG) were charged with racketeering, narcotics and firearms offenses. BTG allegedly operated as a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO), and 41 defendants were charged with racketeering conspiracy, related to their participation in this criminal organization, which engaged in narcotics trafficking, murder and attempted murder. These charges stem from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS).^[5]

Death of Lesandro Guzman-Feliz

At 10:30 p.m. on June 20, 2018, in the Bronx, 15-year-old Lesandro "Junior" Guzman-Feliz left his apartment to loan a friend five dollars.^[6] Five alleged members of the Trinitario gang entered the bodega at Bathgate Avenue and East 183rd Street, where they dragged Lesandro onto the sidewalk in front of the store. Video shows a man with what appeared to be machete enter the fray. The five men repeatedly stabbed Guzman-Feliz in the neck and slashed him with machetes. The teen managed to run to Saint Barnabas Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, outside the hospital. Gang members admitted it was a case of mistaken identity. The mistaken-identity slaying may have been sparked by a raunchy sex video involving a gang member's niece. Gang members mistook Guzman-Feliz for a similar-looking, curly-haired teen who faces the camera prominently in a homemade sex video posted on Facebook.^[7] Rapper Cardi B posted about Guzman-Feliz's death with the #justiceforjunior hashtag, which went viral on social media.^[8] Graphic video of Guzman-Feliz's death also began circulating. Fourteen people have been arrested in connection with the teenager's death.^[9]

References

External links

• "SCHOOLS' GANG SCOURGE". Nypost.com. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
• "Teen Gang Responsible for Williamsburg's Weekend Stabbings". Gothamist.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
• Registercitizen.com.