Honk News (New York City, NY) – Prosecutors disclosed on Wednesday that a ruthless group is suspected of orchestrating a series of deadly overdoses that plagued gay nightclubs in the city, using cash taken from the victims for extravagant shopping sprees.
Three individuals — Jayqwan Hamilton, 37, Robert DeMaio, 36, and Jacob Barroso, 32 — entered a Manhattan courtroom for the opening day of a murder trial that revealed the troubling realities hidden beneath the city’s vibrant nightlife.
Emily Ching, the Assistant District Attorney, stated that the individuals involved were members of a five-person gang targeting young men who appeared to be intoxicated as they left gay clubs in Hell’s Kitchen during the late-night hours leading up to last call.
“Substances that included a powerful and rapid-acting opioid were used to incapacitate victims swiftly for the purpose of theft,” she stated during the initial remarks, noting that they took phones and credit cards to “deplete their funds and misuse their finances.”
The group heartlessly abandoned their victims, who were described as “completely unresponsive and not breathing,” according to Ching.
Authorities reported the deaths of two individuals: John Umberger, a 33-year-old political consultant, and Julio Ramirez, a 25-year-old social worker from Brooklyn. Three additional individuals made it through.
Following the incident, the individuals responsible for the wrongdoing indulged in lavish shopping excursions using the funds taken from the victims, which included purchasing sneakers, numerous bottles of alcohol, and visiting upscale stores in Soho, according to prosecutors.
The trial arises from an investigation into what law enforcement described as “drug-facilitated thefts” during the spring of 2022 — a series of alarming incidents that instilled fear among patrons of the well-frequented Q NYC and Ritz Bar and Lounge, where the victims were present.
Each of the three accused individuals is charged with murder in connection to Ramirez’s demise. Hamilton and DeMaio are the only individuals facing trial for the murder related to Umberger’s tragic overdose.
Defense attorney Dean Vigliano presented to the jurors that there were notable “gaps” in the case against DeMaio.
“A variety of substances were detected in these individuals’ systems, and any one of them could have led to their demise,” he stated, emphasizing that there is no proof his client administered them.
Linda Clary, Umberger’s mother, fixed a piercing gaze on the defendants as she took the stand to give her testimony.