Alpo Martinez
| Alpo Martinez | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Alberto Geddis Martinez June 8, 1966 Harlem, New York, U.S. |
| Other names |
Alpo Mayor of Harlem |
| Occupation | Illegal drug dealer |
| Conviction(s) | 14 counts of homicide |
Alberto Geddis "Alpo" Martinez (born June 8, 1966) is a Puerto Rican former drug dealer who rose to prominence alongside Azie Faison and Rich Porter in the mid 1980s in Harlem during the War on Drugs. He went on to expand to his drug trade to other parts of New York City, and to other cities in the Northeast, notably Washington D.C. He was formally served a 35-year sentence for 14 counts of homicide at ADX Florence, a federal supermax prison located in Fremont County, Colorado.
Life
Martinez started selling drugs as early as 13 years old in East Harlem. When he met West side Harlem drug dealer Azie Fasion,[1] Alpo started to move up the chain of drug dealers in Harlem and eventually became one of the biggest drug dealers in NYC. He later moved to Washington D.C. to live with his girlfriend at the time, where he quickly became involved in the underworld in the city and began drug dealing again. He met Wayne 'Silk' Perry, a notorious gangster and D.C. enforcer, who would later become his bodyguard and hitman.[2] On January 3, 1990, Martinez and an accomplice murdered Rich Porter in The Bronx, New York, shooting the victim in the head and body several times. Martinez and Porter had previously been associates who began selling drugs together as teenagers. He has since apologized to the Porter family for the killing of his one-time friend.[3]
Arrest
In 1991, he was arrested in Washington D.C. for selling drugs. He was later charged with conspiracy to commit murder, various drug charges, and 14 counts of murder, including the murder of D.C drug dealer Michael Fray [4] and Brooklyn drug dealer Demencio Benson.[5] Facing the possibility of either the death penalty or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, Martinez turned informant and testified against Perry (Who at the time had 3 kids. Including a most recent football standout Indiana University Andre Kates).[6] For his testimony of Perry (who received five consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole), Martinez was sentenced to 35 years in prison- under federal witness protection.[7]
Pop culture
The 2002 film Paid In Full was based on Martinez, Faison and Porter.[8][9]
Martinez is referenced in the song Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park) by hip hop artist Nas on his debut album Illmatic (1994), "Uptown was Alpo son, heard he was kingpin yo."