Office of the Sheriff

UNDERSHERIFFS JAMES P. TAYLOR DONALD E. ELLISON PEDRO MEDINA ASSISTANT TO THE SHERIFF CATHLEEN G. GARTON

JOHN A. KEMLER
SHERIFF

MERCER COUNTY CIVIL COURT HOUSE 175 SOUTH BROAD STREET P.O. Box 8068 TRENTON, NEW JERSEY 08650-0068 TELEPHONE: (609) 989-6100 FAX: (609) 989-6185

CHIEF SHERIFF'S OFFICER RICHARD S. PIOTROWSKI, JR CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER BRIAN D. AMANTIA

Homicide suspect arrested in Philadelphia, Pa.; Aggravated Assault suspect arrested in Puerto Rico
February 16, 2012 TRENTON, NJ - Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler announces the arrest of two violent fugitives wanted for Murder and Aggravated Assault with a Shotgun.

DOB -10/29/1976 LKA/Bayamn, Puerto Rico

DOB - 09/06/1987 LKA/Nebraska Avenue, Hamilton, NJ,

On February 15, 2012, members of the Mercer County Sheriffs Office assigned to the US Marshals - NY/NJ Regional Task Force assisted in the arrest of a Jose Santiago-Rivera, who is accused of the beating death of a one-year-old child in Bayamn, Puerto Rico, on July 9, 2009. Information was developed by US Marshals in Puerto Rico that indicated Santiago-Rivera was located within the central NJ area in late 2011. A collateral investigative lead was forwarded to the US Marshals - NY/NJ Regional Task Force in Trenton, NJ, and assigned to Task Force officers from the Mercer County Sheriff's Office. Their investigation revealed that Santiago-Rivera was

in fact moving throughout the Northeast, and that he recently settled into a homeless shelter in Philadelphia, Pa., under the alias Efrain Mercado. During the early morning hours of February 15, 2012, members of the Mercer County Sheriff's Office, US Marshals - NY/NJ Regional Task Force, Philadelphia Police Department, and US Marshals - Eastern Pa. Task Force, located and apprehended Santiago-Rivera at a homeless shelter at the corner of Poplar and Carlisle Streets in Philadelphia, Pa. Santiago-Rivera remained in the custody of the Philadelphia Police Department, where he was charged as a fugitive of justice and held pending extradition to Puerto Rico. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In the second case, Emmanuel G. Cruz, a documented member of the NETA street gang, along with two others, allegedly fired a shotgun at two suspected female Latin King members on May 3, 2011, in Trenton, NJ. Within days of the incident the two alleged co-conspirators were apprehended, but Cruz remained at-large. On October 14, 2011, Cruz failed to appear for a pre-arraignment conference in Mercer County Superior Court and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. On January 30, 2012, the US Marshals - NY/NJ Regional Task Force adopted the fugitive case for Emmanuel Cruz, and during the week of February 2, 2012, Task Force Detectives developed information that Cruz was in Utuado, Puerto Rico. A collateral lead was sent to the US Marshals in Puerto Rico, and as a result of this lead, Cruz was arrested on February 10, 2012, in Utuado, Puerto Rico, where he awaits extradition.

For further information please contact: William Osterman Public Information Officer Mercer County Sheriffs Office 609-989-6132 (Office) 609-847-1231 (Cell) wosterman@mercercounty.org