Queens Carjacking Spree Nets Charges For Gang Members, Feds Say

QUEENS, NY — A quartet of gang members carried out a violent spree of armed carjackings that left one person dead in Queens, authorities said.

The four Trinitarios street gang members — Amaury Guzman, 24, Ian Diez, 19, Ruffi Fernandez, 26, and Jonathan Rodriguez, 22 — were indicted Wednesday in a Brooklyn federal court on a slew of charges, including attempted carjacking resulting in death.

"As alleged, the defendants repeatedly and violently terrorized the community with multiple shootings and armed carjackings," said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in a statement.

"Our community should not have to live in fear of gun violence in their homes, on the streets, or in their cars."

The indictment recounts carjackings, shootings and a killing spanning from November 2022 to February 2023.

The crimes including the Nov. 20, 2022, shooting death of Tao Wu, who tried to drive away from an armed carjacking by Guzman and Rodriguez, prosecutors said.

Rodriguez shot Wu in the back, causing him to lose control of his BMW and flip it before he died, authorities said.

Guzman and Rodriguez face up to a life sentence, while Fernandez and Diez can spend up to 20 year and 15 years, respectively, if convicted.

All four have been previously and will be arraigned at a later date, prosecutors said.