NYC drugging and robbery scheme trial continues with victim's testimony
NEW YORK -- The trial of three men accused of running a drugging and robbery scheme in New York City continued on Monday with one of the victims taking the stand.
Defendants Jayqwan Hamilton, Robert DeMaio and Jacob Barroso, all in their 30s, have pleaded not guilty to running the scheme from 2021 to 2022 outside of Manhattan gay bars and nightclubs, stealing cellphones, credit cards and other personal identifying information.
It's alleged they offered substances laced with fentanyl to seemingly intoxicated people they befriended exiting the establishments in order to incapacitate them.
Two of the five victims, Julio Ramirez and John Umberger, died.
Victim testified he was initially flattered by compliments
The defendants listened as the main detailed one night in April 2022 when he met a group of four men who came up to him at a Hell's Kitchen club.
"These people were really friendly and really welcoming and really complimented me on my looks and complimented me on different things," the witness said.
He told the jury he invited them back to his place, where his friend also met them. He said they drank some beer and smoked marijuana and that's the last thing he remembered.
He said he woke up and realized his phone, laptop and wallet were gone, as well as all the prescription medication in his bathroom.
The deaths of Ramirez and Umberger
According to the indictment, in April 2022 Hamilton and Barroso approached 25-year-old Ramirez, a social worker, outside a bar and left him incapacitated in a cab and stole his phone and other property.
Fentanyl and heroin were found in his system.
It's alleged that in May 2022, Hamilton and DeMaio approached 33-year-old Umberger, a political consultant, outside a club and eventually left him incapacitated in an apartment and stole thousands of dollars.
Cross examination of the witness will be held on Tuesday.
Two other men previously pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
