The U.S. Attorney's Office has secured convictions for three members of the violent Own Every Dollar (OED) gang, who were responsible for a series of brutal crimes in New York. According to a press release, gang members Jowenky Nunez, Jr., Brian Hernandez, and Iyaury Rodriguez-Rosario were found guilty of 25 counts, including four murders and 10 attempted murders, after a five-week trial before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
"Jowenky Nunez, Jr. murdered Nicolas Vargas and Hector Cruz, and all three defendants murdered Richard Dominguez and Israel Cabrera," stated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. The convictions are part of an ongoing effort against a subset of the Trinitarios gang, which has been linked to multiple violent crimes and drug trafficking operations, as detailed in the indictment and supported by statements in public filings and court proceedings, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The three convicted individuals come from different backgrounds: Nunez, 22, is from New York, New York; Hernandez, 25, also hails from New York; and Rodriguez-Rosario, 43, is from Reading, Pennsylvania. Each of them faces a mandatory life sentence in prison.
Court records reveal the nature of their crimes. One day near an IHOP in the Bronx, Nunez's gunfire resulted in the death of Nicolas Vargas. On another occasion in Manhattan, a shot intended for a rival gang member struck bystander Hector Cruz, fatally wounding him with a liver shot. An execution-style double murder followed, where all three defendants extinguished the lives of Richard Dominguez and Israel Cabrera with gunshots to the head. The crimes committed by these men extended beyond the boroughs, including a stabbing incident involving Nunez at a detention center in Brooklyn, as reported by authorities.
The efforts of Mr. Clayton, along with the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, have received significant recognition. In a focused campaign against gang violence, the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Ashley C. Nicolas, worked diligently to dismantle the influence of OED. Additional trials are pending, including cases against Jesus Zapata and Brayan Lloret for violence on Rikers Island, with a 2026 date set for Jowenky Nunez Sr.
