The victims of a Hamilton Township home invasion were under surveillance by their attackers days before the armed robbery that appears to be tied to a violent Dominican gang, BreakingAC has learned.
Four Philadelphia men were arrested and nearly $50,000 recovered following the attack inside a Mays Landing home around 12:48 p.m. Oct. 7, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
One of the suspects told police that in the days leading up to the home invasion, the crew left a surveillance camera in the victims' yard in the 4500 block of Drosera Street. It was not discovered during the initial police response.
Hamilton Township police warned residents of the manhunt that followed the daytime attack, but later cleared the area. More information was released days later, when police announced two of the suspects had been arrested in Philadelphia and another two were jailed in Oklahoma City.
But the affidavit of probable cause gives more insight into the case, and a connection to the Trinitarios, a notoriously violent Dominican gang.
Three family members were in the home when three armed men came in through the back door demanding money, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
One of the victims did hand over some money, but the suspects demanded more from a safe in the home, the affidavit states. When the father refused, he was pistol-whipped, receiving a laceration that later required staples to close.
Another victim was restrained with duct tape during the robbery, with one of the suspects holding a gun to her head, she later told police.
"Out of fear for the father, another victim opened a safe, and a large amount of additional U.S. currency was taken," the affidavit states.
The three suspects fled out the back door, with the father then running out the front door, where he encountered a black minivan that fled.
Around that same time, a detective in the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office received information from the FBI Philadelphia that a crew of Trinitarios was headed from Philadelphia to the Atlantic City area to commit a home invasion robbery.
That's when the federal agents were told the robbery already happened.
The FBI provided specific information on five likely suspects, while initiating surveillance on one of the known suspect's residences in Philadelphia.
Four men returned to that residence in different vehicle than the minivan, and entered the home with a duffle bag, the affidavit states.
When law enforcement tried to stop them as they left the residence, the four men fled.
Jose Castillo-Pena, 23, was detained, and found with $35,000 banded in $10,000 bundles, as described by the victims.
Dioanny Mejia, 26, ran back into the residence, which was then secured by a SWAT team, who took him into custody.
A warranted search of the residence led to three firearms and about $12,000 more in cash, the affidavit states. The vehicle the four men arrived in also was searched, leading to a high-capacity magazine.
One of the suspects led police to the minivan that was used in the robbery.
Oklahoma City police later arrested the other two suspects, Gianmarcos Lopez, 21, and Haniel Gabriel, 28.
