Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEX GARCIA, 37, of Danbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer in New Haven to a federal firearms offense related to the Jan. 17, 2000 murder of Mark Rebong in Danbury.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Jan. 17, 2000, at approximately 11:02 p.m.., Mark Rebong was discovered in the driver’s seat of an idling vehicle in the vicinity of Exit 2 off of I-84 in Danbury. Mr. Rebong had had been shot once in the head and died as a result of his injuries.
The investigation revealed that GARCIA was a member of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings"). In late December 1999, there was ongoing dispute in Danbury between the Latin Kings and another criminal gang, the Crips. On Dec. 28, 1999, the dispute escalated as a result of the shooting of a high-ranking member of the Crips.
On Jan. 17, 2000, GARCIA was a passenger in a vehicle traveling westbound on I-84. The driver of the vehicle, a high-ranking member of the Latin Kings, saw Mark Rebong driving near them on the highway and told GARCIA to shoot at Rebong’s vehicle. GARCIA then used an assault rifle to fire two rounds at the vehicle. As a result, Mark Rebong was killed.
Mark Rebong was neither a member of a gang nor engaged in any criminal activity.
“This defendant brutally and senselessly murdered Mark Rebong mistaking him for someone else," said U.S. Attorney Daly. “Mark was a complete innocent gunned down while driving to work, which makes his death all the more tragic. I thank the DEA, Danbury Police and State Police for never abandoning the search for Mark’s killers, and for achieving justice for Mark and his loved ones. We hope that this conviction brings his family some measure of solace. The investigation of this matter continues."
GARCIA pleaded guilty to one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for Sept. 20, 2016, at which time GARCIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
In a binding plea agreement, the parties have agreed that a sentence of 30 years of imprisonment is an appropriate disposition of this case.
GARCIA is in state custody serving an unrelated 40-year sentence.
This matter has been investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven District Office, the Danbury Police Department and the Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad, with assistance from the Connecticut Department of Correction and the Danbury State’s Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Lee Dayton.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
