Ex-Chicago Cop Pleads Guilty to Aiding Latin Kings Gang

HAMMOND, Ind. — A former Chicago Police Officer has admitted that he helped a street gang steal drugs, cash and weapons, prosecutors announced on Friday


Antonio C. Martinez, Jr., 40, pleaded guilty to all counts and will testify against others in the case.


Martinez admitted in court that he committed a series of robberies under the guise of legitimate police investigations, while wearing his Chicago Police Department badge and department-issued weapon, U.S. Attorney David Capp announced.


Antonio C. Martinez, Jr., age 40, a former Chicago cop, pleaded guilty to all counts in the recently unsealed Latin Kings indictment, a release from the the U.S. Attorney’s office in Hammond, Ind., said.


Martinez admitted in court that he committed a series of robberies under the guise of legitimate police investigations, while wearing his Chicago Police Department badge and department-issued weapon.


Those crimes included an armed burglary and theft of marijuana in Rockord; the armed robbery of a marijuana trafficker during a Chicago traffic stop; the armed robbery of a drug trafficker in East Chicago, Ind.; the armed robbery of a drug trafficker near South Massasoit Avenue in Chicago; the armed robbery of a drug trafficker in Chicago while the trafficker and leader of the Latin Kings were conducting a narcotics transaction, the release said.


The crimes also include the armed robbery of a woman at her Hammond home during which two guns were stolen; and the armed robbery at the home of James Walsh, late leader of the Latin Dragon gang in Hammond, the release said.


Martinez admitted he committed all of these robberies at the direction of the Latin Kings. In addition to robberies, he admitted picking up and delivering packages of cocaine on multiple occasions for two different leaders of the Latin Kings.


Martinez admitted he physically restrained a victim during a robbery, wore a bulletproof vest and used his position as a Chicago Police officer to facilitate the robberies, the release said.


Sentencing for Martinez is set for June 14, 2012.


Martinez’s former partner, 41-year-old Alex Guerrero, is scheduled for a jury trial along with seven other defendants on March 19, 2012.