Latin Kings Member Pleads Guilty in North Carolina for Role in Racketeering Enterprise
| U.S. Department of Justice October 03, 2012 |
WASHINGTON—A member of the North Carolina Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty to racketeering-related charges, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina Ripley Rand.
Wesley Anderson Williams, aka “King Bam,” pleaded guilty on Monday, October 1, 2012, in U.S. District Court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise.
During his plea hearing, Williams admitted to his criminal conduct and membership in the Latin Kings. Specifically, Williams admitted to committing home invasion, burglary, assault, arson, and check kiting on behalf of the racketeering enterprise.
Williams faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 at sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.
In February 2012, Williams and 13 others were charged in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Greensboro. The superseding indictment alleges the defendants participated in a violent racketeering conspiracy involving Hobbs Act (commercial) robberies, kidnapping, robbery, arson, and extortion involving several businesses and individuals in the Greensboro/Winston-Salem area.
Luis Alberto Rosa, aka “King Speechless”; Marcelo Ysrael Perez, aka “King Lyrix”; Charles Lawrence Moore, aka “King Toasty”; Richard Lee Robinson, aka “King Focus”; and Steaphan Acencio-Vasquez, aka “King Leo,” also named in the superseding indictment and identified as members and/or associates of the Latin Kings in North Carolina, have previously pleaded guilty and admitted to their criminal conduct.
The dates for sentencing of these defendants have not been determined.
Carlos Coleman, aka “King Spanky”; Jorge Peter Cornell, aka “King J”; Russell Lloyd Kilfoil, aka “King Peaceful”; Randolph Leif Kilfoil, aka “King Paul”; Jason Paul Yates, aka “King Squirrel”; Samuel Isaac Velasquez, aka “King Hype”; Irvin Vasquez, aka “King Dice”; and Ernesto Wilson, aka “King Yayo,” also named in the superseding indictment and identified as alleged members and associates of the Latin Kings in North Carolina, are scheduled for trial on October 15, 2012.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The cases are being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Leshia M. Lee-Dixon of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. J. Lang for the Middle District of North Carolina. The matter was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office, Greensboro Resident Agency; Greensboro Police Department; and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office.