Trenton Gang Leader Convicted in New Jersey Murder and Racketeering Case
TRENTON – Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the Division of Criminal Justice announced today the conviction of the leader of a violent Trenton street gang on charges including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, racketeering, conspiracy, being a leader of organized crime and of a narcotics trafficking network, and other charges following a four-month trial.
Charles M. Willis, 33, aka “Charly Wingate,” aka “Gate,” of Willingboro, New Jersey, was found guilty on 17 of 21 counts, including his role as the leader of the “Get Money Boys” or “GMB,” a violent gang linked to multiple shootings in Trenton. GMB, under the leadership of Willis, controlled heroin distribution in the area around the Oakland Street Apartments in Trenton. Willis gave orders to lower-ranking GMB members to carry out acts of violence against rivals on behalf of the gang.
“We are committed to ending gun violence in New Jersey, and this verdict goes a long way toward that goal,” said Attorney General Davenport. “The defendant in this case presided over a dangerous gang that visited a reign of terror on the streets of Trenton. Achieving a guilty verdict in this case makes us all safer.”
“The communities impacted by Willis’ crimes deserved better, and we are so grateful to DCJ’s prosecution and investigation teams, as well as our law enforcement partners who made this outcome possible,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton.
Starting in the fall of 2019, detectives with the Division of Criminal Justice conducted a 9-month investigation into an open-air drug market operating in front of the Oakland Terrace Apartments, formerly known as the Roger Gardens Apartments, in Trenton, New Jersey.
The investigation revealed that the drug operation was run by GMB gang members, under the leadership of Willis. Members conducted their drug operation 24/7, by making hand-to-hand exchanges with vehicles and pedestrians on the street right next to the apartments.
During the investigation, a wiretap call was intercepted wherein detectives overheard Willis ordering his associate to move drugs from a storage facility in Hamilton. After hearing the call, detectives raced over to the storage facility and stopped GMB member Tre Whetstone as he was driving out of the facility. Detectives searched his vehicle and recovered 130 bricks of heroin and fentanyl. Detectives also searched the storage facility which Willis had a female associate rent for him. There, detectives recovered an additional 254 bricks, totaling over 19,000 individual doses of heroin and fentanyl.
Every criminal must be punished and every innocent must get justice.
Contact New Jersey criminal defence lawyer Joel Silberman to schedule a free legal consultation to fight for your right to justice. Call 201-420-1913 today.
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