Federal prosecutors said a Trinitarios gang member was convicted on Thursday, Oct. 12, of murdering a confidential informant. Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, made the announcement last week, saying William Jones, a/k/a “Principe,” was convicted by a jury of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses for his role in the murder of Frederick Delacruz on December 28, 2019.

 

Williams said Jones was found guilty on all counts following an eight-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos. “William Jones executed Frederick Delacruz in cold blood because Delacruz had the courage to do the honorable thing and cooperate with law enforcement,” the attorney said. “We hope today’s verdict will bring some peace to the victim’s family and sends the message that we will not rest until justice is done.”

 

The Trinitarios gang is a racketeering enterprise which, according to law enforcement, has engaged in a pattern of murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, fraud, witness tampering and retaliation. According to the allegations contained in the indictment and the evidence presented at trial, prosecutors said Jones was a high-ranking member of the gang.

 

They said that on Dec. 28, 2019, Jones and other Trinitarios members lured Delacruz from The Bronx to Suffolk County where Jones shot and killed Delacruz because the latter was acting as a confidential informant for law enforcement.

 

They said that Jones, 45, of The Bronx was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, a firearms offense, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, and murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

 

The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided for informational purposes only. Any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

 

Williams praised what he described as the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the NYPD, and the Suffolk County Police Department, and thanked the latter for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily A. Johnson, Justin V. Rodriguez, and Christy Slavik are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of paralegal specialist Grayson Glogoff.