Jesus Valentin Fuentes, Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Indiana 2003

Jesus Valentin Fuentes, 39, of Chicago and East Chicago, is facing serious charges for his alleged role in the murder of Julio Cartagena on May 16, 2003, in East Chicago, Indiana.

The indictment alleges that Fuentes was one of the local leaders of the Two Six Nation, a violent criminal enterprise. In November 2003, Fuentes directed members of the Two Six to kidnap the family of Julio Cartagena (Cartagena was also a member of the Two Six), in an effort to recover a large quantity of cocaine stolen by Cartagena from Fuentes.

Henderson, Pennington and other Two Six members allegedly kidnapped Cartagena’s children and mother of his children at gunpoint from their home in Hammond, Indiana. Hammond Police soon were able to rescue the family, none were harmed.

The indictment alleges that Fuentes directed Two Six members to kidnap Julio Cartagena. On May 16, 2003, Louis Henderson, Pennington, and Tancil, all alleged Two Six members, and Oscar Cosme, an associate of Henderson, shot and killed Cartagena in East Chicago during an attempted kidnapping. After the shooting, these four individuals sped away in a vehicle driven by Henderson. The vehicle crashed and Henderson was killed.

Count 1 of the indictment charges Pennington, Tancil and Fuentes with murder in aid of racketeering and kidnapping. Count 2 of the indictment charges Pennington, Cosme, Tancil and Fuentes with the use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime (distribution of cocaine) and crimes of violence (murder and kidnapping).

These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Merrillville Field Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives HIDTA Taskforce, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the East Chicago Police Department and the Hammond Police Department. This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Nozick.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

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