Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the convictions at trial yesterday of JOWENKY NUNEZ, JR., a/k/a “Juju,” BRIAN HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Malikai,” and IYAURY RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO, a/k/a “Bricha,” for their roles as members of the violent gang Own Every Dollar (“OED”), including four murders and 10 attempted murders. NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, and RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO were convicted by a jury of 25 counts after a five-week trial before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Jowenky Nunez, Jr. murdered Nicolas Vargas and Hector Cruz, and all three defendants murdered Richard Dominguez and Israel Cabrera. Nunez, Hernandez, Rodriguez-Rosario, and other members of OED tried to murder many others. Public safety is one of our top priorities, and thanks to the career prosecutors of my office and our law enforcement partners, these three men have been held accountable for their senseless violence. I hope this verdict brings some measure of consolation to the victims and their families.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
NUNEZ is a leader of the violent gang OED, a subset of the Trinitarios gang based in and around the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. HERNANDEZ and RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO are members of OED as well. The Indictments in this case charge 24 members and associates of OED with numerous violent crimes, including five murders and 15 attempted murders.
On August 31, 2018, NUNEZ shot Nicolas Vargas in the head and killed him near an IHOP at 232nd Street in the Bronx.
On April 14, 2019, NUNEZ and other OED members drove to West 135th Street in Manhattan to shoot at members of a rival gang. They shot at a rival gang member on West 135th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, but missed and instead struck bystander Hector Cruz—then age 57—in the liver. Cruz died of the gunshot wound approximately one month later.
On July 2, 2020, NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, and RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO committed an execution-style double murder of Richard Dominguez and Israel Cabrera near Sedgewick Avenue in the Bronx, shooting both victims in the head from the backseat of a parked car.
NUNEZ also committed nine other attempted murders, including a stabbing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, while he was facing charges in this case. HERNANDEZ committed three attempted murders, and RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO committed two attempted murders. Several of NUNEZ’s attempted murders were captured on video, including the following:
All three defendants were also convicted of conspiring to traffic narcotics, including large amounts of fentanyl and heroin, and NUNEZ and RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO were convicted of transporting guns from Pennsylvania to New York.
17 other OED defendants have previously pled guilty in the case, including MAYOVANEX RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Menorcito,” who was sentenced to a 25-year term of imprisonment for a 2022 murder; JERRIN PENA, a/k/a “Rooga,” a/k/a “Perry, who was sentenced to a 20-year term of imprisonment for the 2019 murder of Hector Cruz; and HUGO RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Juice,” the current “Duarte,” or leader, of OED.
A trial against defendants JESUS ZAPATA, a/k/a “Jeezy” and BRAYAN LLORET, a/k/a “ET,” two leaders of OED who committed multiple stabbings and slashings at Rikers Island, is scheduled for October 6, 2025. A trial against defendant JOWENKY NUNEZ SR., a/k/a “Bala,” a leader of the gang and the father of NUNEZ, is scheduled for February 2, 2026.
NUNEZ, 22, of New York, New York, HERNANDEZ, 25, of New York, New York, and RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO, 43, of Reading, Pennsylvania, were convicted of 25 total counts, and are each subject to mandatory terms of life in prison. A chart summarizing the counts of conviction and potential penalties is below:
| Count Number | Charge | Defendants | Penalties |
| 1 | Racketeering Conspiracy | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison |
| 2 | Murder in Aid of Racketeering | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Mandatory life in prison |
| 3 | Murder through Use of a Firearm | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison |
| 4 | Murder in Aid of Racketeering | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Mandatory life in prison |
| 5 | Murder through Use of a Firearm | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison |
| 6 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | HERNANDEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 7 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | HERNANDEZ | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 8 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | HERNANDEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 9 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | HERNANDEZ | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 10 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | HERNANDEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 11 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | HERNANDEZ | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 12 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | NUNEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 13 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | NUNEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 14 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | NUNEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 15 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | NUNEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 16 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | NUNEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 17 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | NUNEZ | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 18 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | NUNEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 19 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | NUNEZ | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 20 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon | NUNEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 21 | Discharge of a Firearm in Connection with a Crime of Violence | NUNEZ | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 22 | Attempted Murder and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury | NUNEZ | Maximum of 20 years in prison |
| 23 | Narcotics Conspiracy | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison |
| 24 | Firearms Use, Carrying, and Possession | NUNEZ, HERNANDEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of life in prison; mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison |
| 25 | Interstate Transport of Firearms | NUNEZ, RODRIGUEZ-ROSARIO | Maximum of 5 years in prison |
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor, the New York State Police, and the NYPD Task Force Officers assigned to this Office for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Alexandra S. Messiter, and Ashley C. Nicolas are in charge of the prosecution.
