NJ Prison Hit Squad Brutally Assaulted Other Inmates: Prosecutors

NEWARK, NJ — Authorities are accusing 11 alleged gang members of forming a “hit squad” within the New Jersey state prison system to commit assaults on other inmates.

On Tuesday, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General announced that 11 men have been indicted on conspiracy charges in connection with a “brutal” attack on an inmate in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, as well as another planned assault at Northern State Prison in Newark that was thwarted by the New Jersey Department of Corrections (DOC).

Prosecutors said that Frank Blake of Hillside, an alleged leader of the Elizabeth chapter of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) street gang, was initially charged in April 2021 along with eight other alleged members of ALKQN, who conspired to carry out assaults on behalf of the gang.

The Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) obtained a state grand jury indictment on Sept. 14, charging the alleged gang members with four more assaults in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton.

The indictment charges the nine original defendants, plus two additional alleged ALKQN gang members.

The following 11 men were charged with second-degree conspiracy:

• Frank Blake, 33, of Hillside
• Eduardo Lago, 28, of Newark
• Roberto Garcia, of Carteret
• William Figueroa, 27, of Hightstown
• Alexander Chludzinski, 27, of Phillipsburg
• Kevin Washington, 32, of Atlantic City
• Andy Reyes, 25, of Somerset
• James Zarate, 33, of Randolph
• Larry Cardona, 28, of Elizabeth
• Maurice Diaz Young, 35, of Trenton
• Juan Colon, 53, of Trenton

In addition, nine of the men — Blake, Diaz Young, Lago, Garcia, Chludzinski, Washington, Reyes, Zarate, and Cardona — are charged with first-degree gang criminality. Blake is also charged with first-degree promoting organized street crime.

According to prosecutors, the accusations against the men include:

YARD ASSAULT - “It is alleged that at Blake’s direction—and with Figueroa, Reyes and Diaz Young participating in planning the assault—Garcia and Lago assaulted an inmate in the prison yard of New Jersey State Prison in Trenton on Sept. 28, 2020, punching and kicking him in the head, and causing him to suffer respiratory failure and a traumatic brain injury.”

ASSAULT THWARTED - “Between December 2020 and April 2021, Blake allegedly conspired with and directed Chludzinski, Reyes, Washington, Zarate, and Cardona in planning an assault on an inmate at Northern State Prison in Newark. DOC-SID investigators learned of the alleged plot and placed the targeted inmate in protective custody to prevent the attempted assault.”

SHANKED IN SHOWER - “It is alleged that on Oct. 18, 2019, Chludzinski attacked an inmate with a makeshift weapon known as a ‘shank’ in a shower facility in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, causing the victim to suffer multiple puncture wounds.”

2 ATTACKS - “In April 2020, Reyes, Garcia, and a member of a different street gang identified in the indictment as ‘Individual #1’ allegedly planned that Garcia would attack an inmate in New Jersey State Prison in Trenton on behalf of Individual #1, in exchange for which Individual #1 would attack an inmate who was targeted by Reyes and Garcia. On April 5, 2020, Individual #1 allegedly carried out his attack in the prison yard, repeatedly punching and kicking the victim in the head, causing him to be hospitalized with head trauma. The next day, April 6, 2020, Garcia allegedly attacked the second victim in the prison yard, punching and kicking him in the head and upper body, resulting in bodily injury.”

PUNCHES, KICKS - “It is alleged that Zarate and Cardona attacked an inmate on April 21, 2021 in the prison yard of New Jersey State Prison in Trenton, repeatedly punching and kicking the victim in the head and body, resulting in significant bodily injury.”

According to prosecutors, other accusations and charges include:

• The indictment charges Diaz Young and Colon with the second-degree crime of solicitation or recruitment to join a criminal street gang for allegedly soliciting an inmate to join ALKQN and participate in criminal conduct on behalf of the gang in November and December 2020.
• Blake and Chludzinski are charged with second-degree hindering apprehension or prosecution, third-degree terroristic threats, and fourth-degree obstruction for the alleged threats of violence against DOC-SID members investigating this case. Cardona, Chludzinski, Reyes, and Zarate are charged with possessing shanks, and Cardona is charged with possessing a cell phone in prison.
• When Blake was arrested on April 22, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at his home, seizing a .45-caliber pistol, a .357-caliber revolver loaded with hollow-point bullets, a 9mm pistol, an illegal large-capacity magazine, additional bullets, over one-half pound of methamphetamine, and two digital scales. For those items, he is charged with second-degree possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, second-degree possession of a weapon during commission of a drug offense, first-degree possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and other drug and weapons offenses.

Prosecutors said the first-degree charges of gang criminality carry a sentence of 15 to 30 years in state prison. The other first-degree charges carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. The sentences for gang criminality and promoting organized street crime must be served consecutively to the sentence for any underlying offense. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Possession of a weapon as a convicted felon carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility of five years. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

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