Former high school dean and gang leader convicted of killing man in 2010 in drug turf war
07/20/2023 3:58 pm PDT
NEW YORK (TCD) -- A federal jury convicted a former high school official and gang leader of murder for killing a man during a fight over territory where they sold drugs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced Thursday, July 20, that Israel Garcia, also known as "Shorty Rock," was found guilty of murder in aid of racketeering, narcotics conspiracy, murder while engaged in narcotics conspiracy, murder through the use of a firearm, firearms use, carrying, and possession in connection with a drug trafficking crime, and attempted witness tampering in connection with the Oct. 11, 2010, death of Alfonso "Joey" McClinton.
Most of the charges carry a maximum of life in prison or death.
According to the statement, Garcia’s gang, the GMG YGz, had been "warring with Joey McClinton’s family over drug territory in the Bronx." Garcia killed McClinton to "maintain his leadership role in the GMG YGz and solidify his hold over the GMG YGz drug-selling territory."
GMG YGz stands for Get Money Gunnaz and Young Gunnaz.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote Garcia "led the GMG YGz’s reign of terror over the neighborhood, recruiting children and others into a drug trafficking enterprise that poisoned the community with crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, and protecting his drug turf with firearms and violence."
Garcia was charged with the crimes in February 2023. The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not name the school, but Garcia worked as a dean at a local high school, where they said he "was trusted with guiding children towards a bright future, but we allege that Garcia himself was participating in the drug trafficking activity that a high school dean should be protecting his students from."
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