Jerrin Pena, also known as "Rooga" or "Perry," has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for multiple violent offenses as a member of the Own Every Dollar (OED) gang. The U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken issued the sentence, which includes the 2019 murder of Hector Cruz.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky stated, "Jerrin Pena, a leader of the violent OED gang, murdered an innocent bystander, Hector Cruz, while trying to shoot at a rival gang member on April 14, 2019. Then, when in federal custody on these charges, Pena stabbed another inmate in an attempt to kill him. Yesterday’s lengthy prison sentence hopefully brings some measure of comfort to the family of Hector Cruz and reinforces this Office’s commitment to ending gang violence throughout New York City."
Pena, a leader in the OED gang—a subset of the Trinitarios gang centered in Washington Heights, Manhattan—was implicated alongside 24 members in various violent crimes including murders and attempted murders. The indictment reveals that on April 14, 2019, Pena shot at a rival gang member, missing the target but fatally wounding bystander Hector Cruz.
In federal custody, Pena committed another attempted murder on February 28, 2023, by stabbing an inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Additional charges include a gunpoint robbery and involvement in fentanyl trafficking.
"16 other defendants have previously pled guilty in the case," highlighted a statement on the case's progression. "This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit."
Pena, 23, will also face five years of supervised release following his prison term. The efforts leading to this sentencing involved collaboration with the New York City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration, praised by Mr. Podolsky.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, Kevin Mead, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexandra Messiter are overseeing the prosecution.
