United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

FORMER BRIDGEPORT RESIDENT CHARGED WITH RACKETEERING MURDER

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that EDDIE MERCADO, also known as "Tan," age 36, formerly of Bridgeport, Connecticut, has been charged by a federal grand jury sitting in New Haven with committing the murder of Aida Escalera in aid of racketeering, and with causing her death through the use of a firearm equipped with a silencer.

The Indictment, returned yesterday, May 25, alleges that MERCADO, William Rodriguez, Frank Estrada and others were part of a racketeering enterprise that was involved in acts involving murder and narcotics crimes. MERCADO is charged with committing the murder of Escalera in order to maintain or increase his position in the racketeering enterprise and in order to gain something of pecuniary value. He is also charged with committing the murder through the use of a gun equipped with a silencer. The Indictment alleges that Escalera was killed on or about January 29, 1996.

Estrada and Gomez previously entered guilty pleas to racketeering and other charges.

Both counts in the Indictment are capital crimes, that is, if convicted, MERCADO could face the death penalty on each count. Alternatively, MERCADO faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on each count. He also faces a fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that it is the government's burden to prove MERCADO's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case is being investigated by the Bridgeport Violent Crimes Safe Streets Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Peter D. Markle.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov