Fire Marshals Investigation Leads to the Indictment of 18 Latin Kings Gang Members on Arson Charges

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FDNY members joined the Kings County District Attorney Charles Hynes and members of the NYPD on July 21 to announce the indictment of 18 Latin Kings gang members on arson charges. The landmark case was uncovered by a team of FDNY fire marshals.

The gang members face charges that they set fire to two Borough Park apartments in February and March 2010, in an attempt to kill a former gang member.

"Because of the dedication and cooperation of three city agencies, these men are behind bars," Mr. Hynes said during a press conference at the Kings County District Attorney's office.

The indicted Latin Kings members were part of the "Borough Park Homicide Squad's" leadership structure.

"I commend the fire marshals on their excellent investigative work," said Chief Fire Marshal Robert Byrnes. "This sends a clear message to people who use fire as a weapon - they will be brought to justice."

The case began when fire marshals from the Bureau of Fire Investigation's Citywide South/Special Investigations Unit investigated a fire at 981 57th St. in Brooklyn on March 1. Within hours of their investigation, fire marshals linked the incident to the Latin Kings and determined it was motivated by revenge, so they notified the NYPD's Gang Unit.

The target of the arsons, Juan Kuang, had been stripped of his Latin Kings status by the gang's leadership. In retaliation, Mr. Kuang stabbed gang member Norman Vado, the brother of the gang's leader, Roger Vado, according to a separate indictment.

Roger Vado and other gang members are charged with setting fires in retaliation for the stabbing. The indictment charges that they made Molotov cocktails by filling glass iced tea bottles with gasoline, which were thrown at two multi-family residences where Mr. Kuang was believed to be living.

One building, where an elderly woman and young children lived, was destroyed. The other building was an apartment complex, where the exterior was damaged. There were no injuries in either fire.

Five gang members are charged with setting the fires and five are charged with ordering the fires to be set - they are charged with arson in the first degree, a Class A-1 felony, with a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison. All 18 defendants named in the indictment are charged with conspiracy in the second degree, a Class-B felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.



Author:FDNY Press Release