Trenton, NJ — A man prosecutors say led a violent street gang responsible for murder, shootings, and a large-scale heroin operation has been convicted on the majority of charges following a months-long trial. Charles M. Willis, 33, also known as “Charly Wingate” and “Gate,” was found guilty on 17 of 21 counts, including murder, racketeering, and leading a narcotics trafficking network, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport announced Friday.
The verdict caps a sweeping investigation into the “Get Money Boys” (GMB), a Trenton-based gang tied to multiple acts of violence and a 24/7 open-air drug market.
Violence and drug trade tied to gang leadership
Prosecutors said Willis directed gang members to carry out shootings and other acts of violence while overseeing heroin distribution centered around the Oakland Street Apartments area. The operation, uncovered during a nine-month investigation beginning in 2019, involved constant hand-to-hand drug sales to drivers and pedestrians.
Detectives with the Division of Criminal Justice used wiretaps and surveillance to build the case, including intercepting a call where Willis allegedly ordered drugs moved from a Hamilton storage unit.
When investigators moved in, they seized more than 19,000 individual doses of heroin and fentanyl—totaling hundreds of bricks—from a vehicle and the storage facility.
Murder-for-hire and shootings detailed in trial
Evidence presented at trial linked Willis to orchestrating the December 27, 2019 killing of Michael Barnes, who had previously cooperated with law enforcement. Prosecutors said Willis paid $10,000 to have Barnes shot six times in an alley.
Months later, Willis allegedly offered $15,000 to have a witness killed ahead of a court case. The attempted hit in June 2020 resulted in gunfire that injured multiple people, including a 12-year-old girl shot in the abdomen and a man shot in the chest.
Investigators also tied Willis to a gang-related shooting on May 1, 2020, when at least 39 rounds were fired into a crowd near a grocery store on Sanhican Drive. Two people were hit, and nearby homes and vehicles were damaged.
Attorney General Davenport said the case reflects a broader push to curb violent crime.
“The defendant in this case presided over a dangerous gang that visited a reign of terror on the streets of Trenton. Achieving a guilty verdict in this case makes us all safer,” she said.
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Key Points
• Charles Willis convicted on 17 counts including murder and racketeering
• Prosecutors say he led “Get Money Boys” gang tied to shootings and drug trade
• Case includes murder-for-hire plot and shootings that injured multiple victims
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Multi-agency investigation dismantles network
The case involved coordination across multiple agencies, including the Division of Criminal Justice, Trenton Police Department, New Jersey State Police, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities arrested numerous gang members during the investigation, including individuals found with significant quantities of heroin and fentanyl during vehicle stops near the drug operation.
Officials said the prosecution relied on extensive investigative work, including surveillance, wiretaps, and forensic analysis.
Sentencing could mean life without parole
Because jurors found Willis guilty of ordering a murder while acting as the leader of a narcotics trafficking network, he faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole under New Jersey law.
Additional convictions—including attempted murder, conspiracy, and weapons offenses—carry potential sentences ranging from years to decades in state prison, depending on the charge.
What happens next
Willis awaits sentencing, where he faces the likelihood of life in prison without parole. Authorities say the broader investigation into associated individuals has already resulted in multiple arrests, and the case stands as a major effort to dismantle organized violent crime in Trenton.