NEW YORK – Jonathan Garcia, known as “Jayo,” a key figure in the Latin Kings gang, receives a life sentence plus seven years for a 2017 murder in Queens.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the sentencing of Jonathan Garcia for the murder of Joshua Flores in May 2017, alongside charges of racketeering, narcotics, and firearms offenses. U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni delivered the sentence following Garcia’s conviction in a trial held in June 2023.
Garcia, a prominent member of the Latin Kings’ Black Mob tribe, shot Flores as he fled, enhancing Garcia’s gang status. His gang activities spanned violent acts, drug trafficking, and rivalry with other gangs across New York’s boroughs. Garcia’s arrest and sentencing underscore the federal commitment to combat gang violence and drug trafficking in the community.
This case highlighted the collaborative efforts of the FBI and the NYPD in addressing gang-related crime and violence. Garcia, 29, from Queens, had been actively involved in the Latin Kings since at least 2012, contributing to the gang’s criminal endeavors until his arrest.