Murder in New York

Gareth Vialva, alias "Volvo," appeared before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court yesterday where the extradition charges were read to him.

Vialva was arrested by members of the Interpol Branch headed by Sgt Wendell Williams. They were assisted by officers of the Northern Division Task Force.

Attorney Michael Bullock, holding for Ian Brooks, appeared for the fugitive while the US government was represented by David West and Sunita Harrikissoon.

The US government has until September 14 to produce the authority to proceed with the extradition case. Mc Nicolls ordered that Vialva be kept in prison, but told him of his right to apply to a judge in chambers for bail. Hearing was adjourned to August 8. Vialva was indicted on May 25, 2005, on charges of murder, conspiracy to murder, attempted murder and illegal use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. If convicted in the US, he faces a sentence of life imprisonment.

Vialva’s arrest warrant was issued by Joan Azrack, US magistrate judge, sitting in the US District Court, Eastern District of New York.

Six other gang members were arrested on a 26-count indictment on the same day, but FBI and NYPD intelligence officers reported that Vialva fled to Guyana before sneaking into Trinidad. The other gang members were charged with five murders, the shooting of two NYPD officers, a 13-year-old boy, and rival gang members.

According to the court documents, Vialva is suspected to be a member of a violent gang operating in Brooklyn, New York. The gang is known as the Folk Nation, Black Gangstas and Black Gangsta Disciples.

The Folk Nation is a nationwide gang active in numerous cities and prisons across the United States.

According to the documents, the Folk Nation gang is active in Brooklyn, where it is alleged they have murdered, shot at, stabbed and robbed members of several rival groups in the area. It is also alleged that they murdered and shot innocent bystanders.

Trinidadian Vialva is charged with the October 14, 2001, murder of Tabatha Buckman, a 34-year-old manageress of a fast food restaurant in Brooklyn. Buckman was caught in the crossfire while Folk Nation members attempted to kill rival gang members believed to have been inside the restaurant.

According to the summary of facts, Vialva drove two fellow gang members in his car to obtain a gun from another gang member for the purpose of attempting to murder rival gang members. According to the Assistant US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, Vialva was aware of the plan and agreed to participate in the murders. After collecting the gun, it is alleged that he drove his car with the two gang members past the restaurant.

One gang member acting as a lookout, signalled Vialva to pop the trunk, so that another member in the trunk could begin shooting. This was done. It was there that Buckman was shot and killed. It is also alleged that Vialva then drove to a gas station where he and the gang members vacuumed the shell casings from the shooting out of the trunk.