Michael Mendez, Latin King gang member, gets 5 years
By P.T.
Published: April 13, 2013
The man police arrested in summer for having a cache of drugs and a woman padlocked inside his apartment has been sentenced to 5-years in prison. Michael Mendez, 42, pleaded guilty in court back in March to charges of drug possession and criminal restraint.
On Friday, a judge, Greta Gooden Brown of Passaic County Superior Court, sentenced Mr Mendez, a Latin King gang member, to “five years in state prison, including 18 months of parole ineligibility”.
The woman, Nancy Rodriguez, who was padlocked inside his apartment, was later recognized as a female friend of Mr Mendez; and she later admitted that she was not held, padlocked, inside his apartment against her will, but that she agreed to the restriction due to personal safety.
During the initial raid by New Jersey State Police, authorities uncovered, “approximately 150 prescription anti-anxiety”, “nearly 7 ounces of marijuana, and more than $22,000 in cash”.