Skip to content
News
Link copied to clipboard

Drug gang enforcer 'Two Face' gets two life terms

The "muscle" for one of the most violent and powerful drug gangs to plague Camden over the last two decades was sentenced today to two life terms in federal prison for the killing of one man and the attempted murder of another.

Juan "Two-Face" Rivera-Velez, 35, was sentenced to two life terms for the murder of Miguel Batista in 1996 and the attempted murder of Rafael Colon-Rodriguez seven years later.
Juan "Two-Face" Rivera-Velez, 35, was sentenced to two life terms for the murder of Miguel Batista in 1996 and the attempted murder of Rafael Colon-Rodriguez seven years later.Read more

The "muscle" for one of the most violent and powerful drug gangs to plague Camden over the last two decades was sentenced today to two life terms in federal prison for the killing of one man and the attempted murder of another.

Juan Rivera-Velez, known as Two Face because the left side of his head was disfigured in a flaming car accident, opted not to address the court and did not apologize to the mother and daughter of victim Miguel Batista. Both women tearfully addressed the judge prior to sentencing.

Last November, a jury convicted Rivera-Velez in the 1996 murder of Batista and the attempted murder of Rafael Colon-Rodriguez seven years later.

Both shootings were carried out on behalf of convicted Camden drug kingpin Raymond Morales, who controlled a multimillion-dollar cocaine ring. Morales became a cooperating witness in 2004 and was the key prosecution witness in the case.

Rivera-Velez, 36, did not have have any family members or supporters in the court room when U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas sentenced him this morning.