A former New York police officer has admitted to providing her gangster boyfriend with a warning that law enforcement was pursuing him in connection with a ruthless killing of a rival.
Gina Mestre, aged 33, has pleaded guilty to the charge of being an accessory after the fact to murder in aid of racketeering. This offense carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Mestre is scheduled to be sentenced on March 21. The case revolves around the federal investigation into the Shooting Boys gang and a murder carried out by the gang’s leader, as stated in a news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Here are some related articles you might find interesting:
Gina Mestre, a former NYPD Officer, has now admitted to abusing her position of public trust and betraying the oath she took to protect and serve the citizens of New York City. In doing so, she assisted a gang member in evading capture for a murder committed in broad daylight against a rival gang member. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams expressed his disappointment, stating, “When law enforcement officers break the laws they are sworn to uphold, they do a disservice to their fellow officers, to the departments that employ them, and to the public they serve.” He further emphasized his commitment to uncovering and prosecuting such acts of corruption, working diligently with law enforcement partners.
In this federal gang racketeering case, Gina Mestre, a former NYPD cop, is accused of aiding her boyfriend in escaping an arrest for the murder of a rival. She is one of several officers who identified him as the perpetrator in a surveillance video. The photograph of Mestre is from the NYPD, while the surveillance video is from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The defense attorney has not yet responded to Law&Crime’s request for comment.
According to a report by Law&Crime, Mestre, who had served on the force for nine years, was arrested in August.
In the summer of 2020, the NYPD’s 52nd Precinct initiated efforts to combat gun violence, particularly targeting the activities of the Shooting Boys gang. Law enforcement officials linked this gang to drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and acts of violence against rival groups in the vicinity, with records indicating their involvement dating back to 2017.
Mestre, one of the cops assigned to the unit responsible for the task, began communicating with the gang’s leader, Andrew “Caballo” Done, in June 2020. They had an intimate relationship, according to authorities, and used secret social media accounts and phone numbers to communicate.
According to prosecutors, Mestre shared classified law enforcement information regarding the federal grand jury investigation into the Shooting Boys with Done and other gang members.
Mestre alerted Done and his fellow gang members that federal investigators were getting ready to file a federal indictment against the Shooting Boys. Additionally, Mestre provided Done with advance notice of upcoming law enforcement operations, allowing Done and his associates to hide their illicit activities.
According to authorities, Mestre revealed the identity of a witness who was assisting law enforcement and providing crucial information about the gang. As a result, Done and other members of the Shooting Boys were able to physically harm and intimidate the witness in order to deter them from cooperating further.
On November 5, 2020, Done fatally shot a rival gang member while he was seated in his car on Cromwell Avenue in the Bronx.
NYPD detectives investigating the murder were able to obtain security camera footage that captured Done in the act of committing the crime. Members of the 52nd Precinct were asked to help identify the individual seen in the video. Mestre, along with other officers, identified Done as the culprit.
During the search for Done, Mestre actively participated by providing Done with a copy of the video on his phone. Additionally, Mestre engaged in covert communication with Done both on the day of the murder and in the subsequent weeks.
Done was given a warning by Mestre regarding the determined efforts of law enforcement to apprehend him, which enabled Done to escape the United States.
In March 2022, the Shooting Boys saw 10 of their members being charged in a 15-count indictment that accused them of racketeering and murder conspiracy. Among those charged was Done, who was later apprehended in the Dominican Republic after being accused of the murder of Victim-1. Done ultimately pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and accepted responsibility for his involvement in the murder. As a result, he was sentenced to 35 years behind bars.
During her tenure as a police officer, Mestre had four out of 10 complaints substantiated against her, as reported by the city’s Civilian Complaint Review Board.In a post on X, the 52nd Precinct featured her and a colleague during Women’s History Month in 2021. The post celebrated the women of today who mentor the officers of tomorrow.
Also Read:
- 61-Year-Old Arrested By NYPD In Relation To Cypress Hills Murder.
- NYPD: Woman Wounded in Shooting on Neptune Avenue
- NYPD Security Robot Patrols The Subway Station In Times Square
