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Six Hazleton trafficking suspects arrested

One suspect still being sought wanted in connection to shooting that injured 2 men.

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter

HAZLETON – One of eight people charged Thursday with selling crack cocaine and heroin in the Hazleton area is also suspected of taking part in a shooting outside a city tavern in July that injured two people, according to an arrest affidavit.

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Gonzalez

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Ayala

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Herman Ayala, a reputed member of the Sex, Money and Murder Blood gang set, allegedly told a confidential informant working for federal drug officials that the gang was responsible for the July 4 shooting outside the La Cantina bar on North Wyoming Street, according to a 50-page affidavit filed in connection with the drug case.

Ayala, who remained at large as of Friday afternoon, was among eight people charged by members of a federal drug task force with selling narcotics numerous times to a confidential informant from July to September. A second man, Andres Gonzalez, also remained at large.

The other six defendants – Sonia Castillo, Terrence Clark, Claudio Herrera, Stephanie Martinez, Robert Melendez and Raymond Williams – were arraigned before U.S. District Magistrate Judge Malachy Mannion Friday afternoon.

Mannion ordered all defendants other than Castillo to remain in federal custody pending detention hearings that will be held next week. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Gurganus had requested all but Castillo remain in custody, based on concerns they were a flight risk and a danger to the community.

Hazleton city police have been investigating the shooting outside the La Cantina that injured two men. The men, whose identities were not released, were shot at around 1:35 a.m.

The affidavit in the drug case says Ayala told a confidential informant that he and Clark were among four members of Sex, Money and Murder, a Blood gang set based in New Jersey, that were in the Hazleton area.

Ayala asked the informant if he had read the newspaper regarding the La Cantina shooting, which police say involved a member of the Trinitario gang and a bystander, and said, “That was us. Now they know about us.”

In a separate conversation, Clark told the informant and several other people that the shooting was related to a dispute his gang was having with other people over a girl.

The informant wore a concealed recording device and made multiple purchases of crack cocaine and heroin from the defendants at various locations in Hazleton, the affidavit says.

Castillo, Gonzalez, Herrera and Melendez are each charged with selling in excess of five grams of crack cocaine. Martinez, Williams and Ayala are charged with selling heroin, while Clark is charged with selling crack cocaine and heroin.

Detentions hearings for most of the defendants are scheduled for Tuesday.

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7179.