Arrest Made in 2005 Murder of C.W. Post Student

A Latin Kings gang member was charged Monday with the 2005 murder of a C.W. Post basketball player in Island Park, authorities said.

According to United States Attorney Robert Capers, Jaime Rivera, 32, of Freeport, shot and killed Tafare Berryman outside a bar in Island Park on April 3, 2005. Rivera mistakenly believed that Berryman was involved in a fight outside the bar between C.W. Post students and Latin Kings members. Berryman, from Brooklyn, was 23.

"Gang violence has taken the lives of too many innocent young people with bright futures," said Capers. “This case should serve as a message to all gang members: if you engage in violent gang activity, our law enforcement partners will not stop pursuing you until you are held accountable for your actions.”

According to prosecutors, on April 2, 2005, Rivera and other Latin King gang members were present at La Mansion bar and nightclub, located at 3942 Long Beach Road in Island Park. Also at the club were numerous C.W. Post students, including Tafare Berryman and some of his friends, who were celebrating the successful presentation of a fashion show that had taken place at Post earlier that evening.

At least one incident occurred inside of the club between some gang members and one of the Post students, which later spilled out into a parking lot across from the club.

At approximately 5 a.m. on April 3, 2005, Berryman and a friend exited the club and saw several fights happening in the parking lot. While walking to their car, Berryman’s friend was hit in the head with a bottle, which cut him. Berryman and his friend then entered a car and drove away.

Several blocks from the club, Berryman’s friend, who was driving, pulled the car over to the side of the road to tend to the cut on his head, which was bleeding profusely. At that point, prosecutors say, Rivera pulled up alongside of the parked car and shot Berryman once, killing him because Rivera mistakenly believed that Berryman and his friend were involved in the fight in the parking lot and were a threat to the Latin Kings.

"Today's announcement is the culmination of an extensive investigation that was worked on collaboratively by numerous law enforcement investigative agencies," said Acting Nassau Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter. "Protecting the public is our number one priority and today’s indictment of defendant Rivera was of the utmost importance."

Photo: Patch