David Ortiz shooting: Alleged triggerman indicted on drug charges in New Jersey

Thomas Lott

David Ortiz shooting: Alleged triggerman indicted on drug charges in New Jersey image

The man authorities in the Dominican Republic say admitted to shooting former Red Sox star David Ortiz was indicted Thursday in New Jersey on federal drug conspiracy charges.

Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, 25, of Paterson, New Jersey, was charged with multiple crimes, including conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and an amount of cocaine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said in a statement Thursday.

The charges came the day after the lead prosecutor in the shooting case in the Dominican Republic announced that Ortiz was not the intended target of the shooting.

Cruz, one of 10 people arrested in the June 9 shooting of Ortiz in a Santo Domingo bar, has admitted to being the person who shot Ortiz, Dominican police said. He remains in custody in the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Attorney's statement said.

If convicted of the U.S. drug charges, Cruz will face a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison for two of the charges. The third charge has a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.

In the Dominican Republic, lead prosecutor Jean Alain Rodriguez told reporters at a press conference Wednesday the intended target was one of Ortiz's friends, not the Red Sox great.

“The target of this assassination attempt was not David Ortiz," Rodriguez said. "The target was a friend of David Ortiz’s, who was on the same table.”

Ortiz, 43, was at a Santo Domingo bar the night of June 9 when a suspect shot him at close range. Thus far, 11 people have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting. 

The retired Red Sox star had been listed in "guarded" condition but was upgraded to "good" condition earlier this week. He underwent surgery in the Dominican Republic following the shooting, and doctors removed his gallbladder and part of his intestines. He was then transported to Boston.

"(Ortiz) continues to make progress with his recovery in the intensive care unit at Massachusetts General Hospital," Ortiz's wife, Tiffany, said in a statement released by the Red Sox on Tuesday. “We remain grateful to everyone who has helped David through this ordeal, both in the Dominican Republic and here in Boston. David’s journey to good health has been bolstered by the many expressions of love that have come to us from across the globe. Your support has lifted his spirits tremendously during this challenging time.”

Ortiz was a 10-time All-Star who led the Red Sox to three World Series titles.

 

 

Thomas Lott