Five Dominicans face trial in Lawrence, Mass. double murder

NEW YORK.- Five Dominicans and other accomplices, one African American, are on trial in Salem, Massachusetts Superior Court on charged with two murders and kidnapping on September 6, 2010.

The murders occurred at the nightclub La Güira where convicted trafficker Johan Saintclair exacted revenge by killing two of several Dominicans who had stolen several kilos of cocaine from him. The killer was arrested after the murders and other people were seriously hurt in the shooting.

FBI Special Agent John Orlando described how a group of nine men accused of kidnapping, murder, drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms and other crimes, robbed and tortured rival traffickers with hot irons while holding them hostage.

In his report the official said the group demanded ransom of thousands of dollars from relatives of those abducted in the United States and in Dominican Republic as well. "The investigators received reliable information that the murders in La Güira were to avenge the shakedown and at least two of the victims form part of the gang of Danny Veloz," a 36-old Lawrence resident charged with heading the gang of kidnappers.

Also accused are Fernando Guerrero Lara, deported to Dominican Republic in 201; Henry Maldonado, Jose Guzman, Jose Matos, Luis Reynoso, Gadiel Romero and Thomas Wallace, who face kidnapping charges in a case unrelated to the nightclub murders.

The trial will begin this week.