'Prezzy', 2 others charged under Anti-Gang law

Three East Port of Spain men will appear in court Tuesday morning on gang related offences following extensive investigation by officers of the Criminal Gang Intelligence Unit.

The trio, Ancel "Prezzy" "Chemist" Villafana, Kevin "FatJoe" Franklyn and Kedel "Fidel" Montrose are being represented by attorneys Ian Brooks, Richard Clarke-Wills and Adrian Thompson.

The men, all from Beetham Gardens, are alleged to be part of the Rasta City gang. Villafana and Franklyn are charged with two offences each - - being gang leaders and counselling a gang while Montrose is charged only with counseling a gang.

The men were held days after police searched the home of the suspected leader of the gang.

The trio were kept at the Barrackpore, Mon Repos and San Fernando police stations. They were nabbed after police intercepted telephone conversations among them. The conversations revolved around money and span between August last year up until their arrests.

According to the Anti Gang Act, all three face 25 years in prison if convicted on indictment, meaning after a High Court conviction. Villafana and Franklyn are charged under Section 6 (2) of the Anti Gang Act 2018 while Montrose is charged under Section 9(a). Section 6(a) of the Bail Amendment Act prohibits the men from accessing bail.