Two Bronx men face federal charges for allegedly fatally shooting one man and injuring two others in the borough last April, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Justis Colon, 25, and Ariel Martinez, 23, were both charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder in aid of racketeering, one count of murder through use of a firearm, two counts of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and two counts of using and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, during which the firearm was brandished and discharged.
Colon and Martinez were taken into federal custody and are due before the court on Oct. 13 for arraignment.
“As alleged, the defendants participated in a gang shooting that killed Joshua Garcia and left two other victims injured. We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who bring violence to our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.
According to court documents, Colon and Martinez were alleged members or associates of the Castle Hill-based gang known as “670” from 2014 to 2022. In an effort to fund the gang and improve its standing, members and associates allegedly commit acts of violence against other gangs, including murder and assault; conspire to distribute narcotics and other drugs; commit fraud and commercial burglaries; and obtain and use firearms.
On April 22, 2022, Colon and Martinez allegedly shot and killed Joshua Garcia during a shooting with rival gang members near 1713 Clay Avenue in the Bronx. Two more victims were also allegedly wounded by Colon and Martinez during the shooting.
“The fusillade of bullets that killed Joshua Garcia in April and wounded two other victims is a level of violence that shocks the conscience and can never be accepted,” NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said. “Now, thanks to our determined investigation, the two alleged gang members charged in this case will face swift and meaningful punishment – a message to anyone else considering such violence on our city streets. I commend our NYPD investigators, together with the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, for their work in this important case.”
If convicted, both Colon and Martinez face five years in prison to life in prison for their litany of charges, and also face the potential for the death penalty for the murder in aid of racketeering and murder through the use of a firearm charges.
