| Unlicensed Tow
Truck Owner Charged With Murder
Pled Guilty Now US Ask for 25
Years
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
Jan 29– There is more to the
battle between unlicensed tow
truck companies in the South
Bronx than was first announced
by prosecutors. On October 22
they charged "CHRISTIAN LUGO
with a leadership role in a
racketeering conspiracy that
used fraud and violent
intimidation to run a tow
truck and auto repair shop
known as Certified Auto.
On February 7, 2022, LUGO
ordered a co-conspirator who
worked for him at Certified
Auto to shoot at members of a
rival tow truck company, which
resulted in the death of
Gloria Ortiz."
Inner City
Press attended the
presentment, then on October
25 the arraignment before U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Judge Dale E. Ho. There were
family members and supporters
of the defendant there, but no
other media. Inner City Press
live
tweeted:
All rise! Judge
Ho: How do you plead? Lugo:
Not guilty.
AUSA: They
dominated the unlicensed tow
truck business in the South
Bronx, Bruckner Expressway
area racketeering, then
engaged in a shooting with a
rival resulting in death [Echo
of fire-chaser trial here, of
Jatiek Smith] AUSA: After the
murder the defendant fled to
Florida and his tow truck
company was renamed.
On November 6,
"the Government wr[ote] to
inform the Court that the
Government will not seek the
death penalty against
defendant Christian Lugo in
this matter."
The more was that
two unlicensed companies have
carved up the Bruckner
Expressway into turf - beyond
the shooting, what about the
car crash (or break down)
victims?
On June 6, a
letter and ruling: "I
represent Christian Lugo. The
parties are actively working
on a potential resolution of
this matter."
On August 21,
Inner City Press went to
Lugo's change of plea
proceeding. He pled guilty to
two count - racketeering and
firearm used in crime of
violence.
On January 29,
2026 the US Attorney's Office
wrote in asking for 25 years.
This case is USA
v. Lugo, 1:24-cr-606 (Ho)
***
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