Latin Kings’ 2nd in command gets 40 years

A high-ranking leader of a Chicago street gang that has a nationwide presence has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for conspiracy and other charges involving murder and drug trafficking.

Prosecutors say Vicente Garcia, Jr. went by the nickname “Disciple Killer” and was second in command in the Almighty Latin King Nation. In Illinois alone, the gang reportedly boasts 10,000 members.

The acting U.S. attorney in Chicago, Gary Shapiro, said in a Monday statement that the 35-year-old Garcia is being held accountable for what he calls “the barbaric enterprise known as the Latin Kings.” A judge imposed the sentence Friday.

Garcia’s 2011 trial included testimony about three murders in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood.

A judge sentenced the gang’s reputed leader, Augustin Zambrano, to 60 years in prison last year.