Essex County Sheriff’s Office

NEWS RELEASE

October 30, 2018

Contact: Sheriff Armando Fontoura (973) 621-4105

 Newark – A high ranking member of the Almighty Latin Kings street gang and two other suspects were arrested in a pre-dawn raid today on multiple drug charges at a North Ward Newark residence by a law enforcement task force comprised of Essex County sheriff’s detectives, New Jersey State Police troopers and federal agents from the United States Marshals Service.

Sheriff Armando Fontoura stated that the task force was armed with an arrest warrant for Icxandro ‘King Dro’ Santiago, 38, and a search warrant for his first-floor apartment at 328 North 7^th Street.

“After surrounding the residence and announcing our presence, an unleashed pitbull in Santiago’s apartment attacked and seriously mauled a State Police K-9,” Sheriff Fontoura said.  “In addition, one of our sheriff’s detectives was bitten multiple times by the uncontrolled pitbull.”

As a result of the attacks, a member of the task force was forced to fire one fatal shot at the animal.

Santiago, who was in violation of his federal parole status and in contempt of a recent Superior Court order, was detained along with Kimberly Hardy, 38, and Michael Gonzales, 27, both of whom are residents of the building.

“In executing the search warrant, the task force discovered 182 grams of heroin, 50 grams of cocaine, 16 grams of marijuana and a wide assortment of drug packaging and processing materials throughout Santiago’s apartment,” Fontoura noted.

The estimated street value of the narcotics is $40,000.

Santiago was charged with three counts each of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1000 feet of Dr. E. Alma Flagg School.  Santiago was also charged with possession of narcotics paraphernalia and he was lodged at the county jail.

Hardy was charged with two counts of possession of CDS and issued a summons.  She was, however, lodged at the county jail on an outstanding warrant issued by the East Orange municipal court.

Gonzalez was issued a summons for possession of CDS and released in his own recognizance.  He will be arraigned at a later date.

The sheriff’s detective and the State Police K-9 received medical attention for their wounds.