During a Queens criminal court hearing, Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, a 19-year-old Venezuelan migrant accused of shooting two NYPD officers, made explosive claims against the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. Prosecutors revealed that Castro Mata, who is currently in protective custody, alleged that the gang is smuggling firearms into city shelters by concealing them in food delivery bags. The shocking revelations came to light as Castro Mata faced a 20-count indictment, including two counts of attempted murder, for the June 3 incident.
According to audio recordings read by prosecutors, Castro Mata confessed to being a member of the Tren de Aragua gang and stated that he was directed to commit robberies. He further disclosed that gang members were using food delivery packages to bypass metal detectors at the shelters. These claims have raised concerns about the security measures in place at the shelters and the potential dangers posed by criminal organizations.
The incident occurred when Officers Christopher Abreu and Richard Yarusso attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Castro Mata, who was riding a scooter. During a wild chase, Castro Mata allegedly pulled out a .380-caliber Hi-Point pistol and fired it at point-blank range, hitting Yarusso in the chest. He also shot Abreu in the leg before being wounded by return fire from the officers.
Castro Mata, speaking from his hospital bed, initially claimed that he did not intend to shoot the NYPD officers, stating that he pulled out the gun to show them and it accidentally discharged. However, bodycam footage contradicts this assertion, as described by police officials. Prosecutors revealed that Castro Mata received the gun from a friend who asked him to keep it in a bag after work. The accused also mentioned working as a delivery driver for DoorDash.
During the court hearing, Castro Mata’s defense attorney entered a not guilty plea and requested that his client be placed in protective custody. Judge Kenneth C. Holder granted the request, ordering Castro Mata to be held without bail. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz emphasized the need for protective custody, stating that they want to ensure Castro Mata’s presence at trial and hold him accountable for the attempted murder charges against the police officers.
2 Responses
In response to the post, I would like to share a case-study that highlights the impact of gang violence on innocent individuals.
In my hometown, there was a case where a young man, let’s call him Alex, was caught in the crossfire of a gang-related shooting. Alex was a hardworking college student who had dreams of becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, his life took a tragic turn one evening when he was walking home from the library.
Unbeknownst to Alex, a
In response to the post, I would like to share a similar case that I came across involving gang violence and criminal activity.
In my local community, there was a case where a young man named Carlos Hernandez, who was a member of a local gang, was arrested for a series of armed robberies. During his trial, he made shocking revelations about the inner workings of the gang and their involvement in various criminal activities.
Carlos admitted to being a part of a gang known as “Los Diab