Gang Member Sentenced For 2009 Murder Of 17-Year-Old

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOHNNY NUNEZ GARCIA, a/k/a “Superior,” was sentenced to 200 months in prison for the June 5, 2009 gang-related murder of 17-year-old Jonathan Ruiz in the Bronx, New York.  Today’s sentence is in addition to the 124 months in prison that NUNEZ GARCIA has already served on a prior sentence for related narcotics and firearms offenses.  NUNEZ GARCIA was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. NUNEZ GARCIA previously pled guilty to murdering Ruiz as part of NUNEZ GARCIA’s participation in the Dominicans Don’t Play (“DDP”) gang.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Today’s sentence shows that senseless gang violence will be met with severe consequences.  Johnny Nunez Garcia participated in the horrific murder of Jonathan Ruiz, who was only 17 years old when he died.  For this crime and others, Nunez Garcia will spend 27 years in federal prison.”

According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Information, prior charging instruments and other filings in this case, and statements during court proceedings:

NUNEZ GARCIA was a member of the “Elder Family” set of the DDP gang—an enterprise that distributed crack cocaine and other drugs, and carried out shootings, robberies, and other acts of violence, on and around Elder Avenue in the Bronx, New York.  On June 5, 2009, members of the DDP gang attended a party and got into an altercation with individuals they understood to be members of the rival Trinitarios gang.  These suspected rivals—who included Jonathan Ruiz—fled down the street, but NUNEZ GARCIA and his accomplices pursued them in a car.  Once the DDPs caught up with Ruiz, one of the DDP members exited the car and shot Ruiz from a distance, causing Ruiz to fall wounded to the ground.  NUNEZ GARCIA then ran over to the wounded Ruiz, stood over him, and shot him again.  NUNEZ GARCIA left Ruiz to bleed out from his injuries.

In addition to the prison term, NUNEZ GARCIA, 31 of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department.