United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero and Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams announced in a press conference Thursday that Jesus Feliciano-Trinidad, 33, Dewayne Quinones, 29, and Mayco Alverez-Jackson, 25, were convicted of murder, kidnapping, drug distribution, and firearm offenses.
The trio were involved with a Reading-area drug trafficking organization responsible for many homicides, kidnappings, and conspiracy to kidnap in 2017 and 2018. These include a quadruple homicide that occurred on January 28th, 2018. All three were convicted of murder and weapon charges related to the quadruple homicide.
“These three defendants, members of the Trinidad gang, have been convicted by a jury of some of the most serious charges that exist under federal law with penalties of equal gravity,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero.
Over 15 defendants were charged from a years-long investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. The defendants were using multiple buildings, different residences, firearms, and other acts of violence to help their drug dealing organization.
“These are three violent, dangerous men who terrorized the Reading area for years, trafficking deadly drugs and committing multiple murders. The Trinidad organization’s actions destroyed families and had a devastating effect on the community’s public safety and quality of life,” said Special Agent Jacqueline Maguire, of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.
12 defendants charged in the investigation previously pleaded guilty to federal or state charges and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendants Mariela Alvarado and Owen Malave-Medina were sentenced to 168 months and 90 months in prison, respectively.
“This verdict sends a message to our community that we will always utilize our partnership with the United States Attorney’s office and federal law enforcement, to combat violent organizations and violent people in our community. This case, was an excellent example of this partnership,” said Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, the Berks County Detectives, and the Reading Police Department, with assistance from the Pennsylvania State Police and the Montgomery County Detectives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly A. Lewis Fallenstein, Special Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti, and Assistant United States Attorney Vineet Gauri.
