HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla — The United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida announced the indictment charging six gang members with a racketeering conspiracy and various other felonies.
Officials said Christian Andujar Rivera, 26, Irving Diego Bruzon, 28, Xavier Chase Gardner, 31, Mohamed Nidal Jaber, 32, Julissa Collazo, 27, and Kyle Miller, 33, are facing a slew of charges.
“As alleged in their federal indictment, these individuals conspired together and committed a wide range of criminal offenses: murder, burglaries, robberies, shootings," said US Attorney Roger Handberg.
The focus of the investigation was the Alexander Park gang, also known as “AP.” Handberg said the gang was based in Hillsborough County and named itself after a local park, which was in the neighborhood where several gang members grew up.
Rivera is an alleged leader of the gang, according to the indictment. Officials said Rivera's responsibilities included participating in and directing murder, kidnapping, carjacking, and committing other crimes.
Handberg highlighted two incidents: one at Scores Gentleman’s Club on Dale Mabry in April 2022, where officials said it was a gang-related shooting.
Then, six days later, officials said members of AP retaliated with a murder that happened in broad daylight in a strip mall parking lot on West Hillsborough Avenue, which was caught on surveillance.
“An individual dressed all in black, wearing a mask and gloves, got out, looked inside the passenger window of the victim’s car, and began shooting. Two other individuals also dressed in black with masks and gloves and firearms then exited the Grand Cherokee and began shooting at the victim’s car," said Handberg. "The victim was shot 17 times.”
The 39-page indictment lays out the case, also detailing crimes involving drugs and arson.
The indictment said the suspects also committed crimes outside of Florida, including Oregon, California, and Michigan. The crimes outside of Florida include aggravated assault, home invasion, robbery, and burglary.
According to the indictment, members of the gang also devised a scheme to submit fraudulent auto loan applications to defraud financial institutions.
“It’s too early to tell if they will face additional charges or if there’ll be additional conspirators, but we can say this: the Alexander Park gang is no longer in business," said Kirk Howard, a Special Agent in Charge with the ATF-Tampa Field Division.
Handberg said each of the defendants faces a minimum mandatory of 10 years in federal prison up to life.
An arrangement hearing is scheduled for July 23 in Tampa.
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