Alpo Martinez | |
---|---|
Born | Albert Geddis Martinez June 8, 1966 East Harlem, New York, New York, U.S. |
Died | October 31, 2021 (aged 55) Harlem, New York, New York, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Other names |
|
Occupation | Drug lord |
Criminal status | Released into United States witness protection program. |
Conviction(s) | a) murder b) conspiracy to commit murder c) various drug charges |
Criminal charge | a) 14 counts b) 1 count c) several counts |
Penalty | 35–year sentence |
Date apprehended | November 6, 1991[1] |
Albert Geddis Martinez, better known as Alpo Martinez, Abraham G. Rodriquez witness protection, or more simply as Alpo or Po (June 8, 1966 – October 31, 2021) was an American drug dealer of Puerto Rican descent from Harlem, New York City. He rose to prominence in the mid–1980s. In addition to New York, Martinez expanded his drug trade to other cities, notably Washington, DC.
Martinez was released in 2015 while serving a 35-year sentence for 14 counts of murder at ADX Florence, a federal supermax prison located in Fremont County, Colorado. He was released after testifying against former associates and had been living under a United States witness protection program in Lewiston, Maine, under the assumed name, Abraham G. Rodriquez, until shortly before his death in 2021.[2]
Born in the East Harlem (also known as Spanish Harlem) section in Upper Manhattan of New York City, Martinez was one of two children raised by his single mother. He attended a Roman Catholic school, Automotive Mechanical High School and Julia Richmond High School before dropping out during his sophomore year.[citation needed]
Martinez started selling drugs at 13 years old in East Harlem. When he met West Side Harlem drug dealer Azie Faison,[3] Martinez started to move up the chain of drug dealers in Harlem and eventually became one of the biggest drug dealers in the city.[4]
Martinez later moved to Washington, D.C. to expand operations where he quickly became involved in the city's underworld and elevated his drug activities. He met Wayne 'Silk' Perry, a notorious gangster and D.C. enforcer, who would later become his bodyguard and hitman.[5]
Martinez was indicted on federal drug charges in July 1990 with two other men. The indictment against Martinez was dismissed when he remained a fugitive at the time their trial began November 1991. According to the affidavit, Nathaniel Watkins (Rich Porter's cousin), Martinez's co-defendant in the Alexandria, Virginia case, told the FBI in 1989 he was present when Martinez gave $300,000 to a fellow drug dealer in a Crystal City, Virginia hotel room and instructed the man to take the money to New York.
Watkins told the FBI that the drug dealer rode to New York in a limousine, which he and his girlfriend followed, and they went to a Harlem apartment where they met Martinez, who had flown to New York. Sherrille Gilbert, Nathaniel Watkins and several witnesses testified that Martinez was a supplier of crack and that members of the drug ring were involved in several killings.
On November 7, 1991, Martinez was arrested in Washington, D.C. for selling drugs. He was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, various drug charges, and 14 counts of murder, including the murder of D.C drug dealer Michael Anthony Salters aka Fray[6] and Brooklyn drug dealer Demencio Benson.[7]
Facing the possibility of either the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, Martinez turned informant and testified against members of his organization.[8] For his testimony against Perry (who received five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole), Martinez was sentenced to 35 years in prison.[9][10]
According to the website of Don Diva Magazine, 49-year old Alberto “Alpo” Martinez was released from a WITSEC FCI federal prison in 2015.[11] According to the website, Martinez was in the federal witness protection program awaiting a new identity.[12]
On the morning of October 31, 2021 at 3:30am Martinez was shot and killed in Harlem, New York, while seated in his 2017 Dodge Ram according to various media outlets including The Source magazine, Hot 97, AllHipHop and The New York Times.[13][14][15][16]
Martinez was portrayed by rapper and actor Cam'ron in the 2002 film Paid In Full which was based on the criminal exploits of Martinez, Azie Faison and Rich Porter.[17] Martinez is referenced in several hip hop and rap songs, including:
Presented content of the Wikipedia article was extracted in 2021-11-15 based on https://en.wikipedia.org/?curid=41641981