On a late Friday night in the Bronx, 24-year-old Joshua Lopez was fatally wounded by a gunshot to his torso. The incident, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. on June 9, 2017, near 1135 East Tremont Avenue, is believed to have been a drive-by shooting. Lopez was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Investigations into the shooting revealed a complex backdrop of drug-related activity.
Authorities later alleged that Lopez was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire of a dispute between rival drug dealers. The intended targets were not hit, but a bullet struck Lopez, ending his life.
In connection with the death of Joshua Lopez, two men, Sydney Scales, also known as 'Sid' and 'Moe Black,' and Ernest Horge, known as 'Ern' and 'Mac,' were arrested. A superseding indictment charged Scales with causing another individual to shoot at rival drug dealers, which resulted in Lopez's death. Both Scales and Horge faced charges related to narcotics conspiracy and firearms offenses.
The case against the two men proceeded in federal court. The prosecution put forth that Scales had orchestrated the shooting as part of an ongoing drug turf war. While Scales faced the more severe charge related to the murder, both men were implicated in the larger criminal enterprise that led to the tragic and untimely death of Joshua Lopez.
