BOSTON A New Hampshire man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for the allegedly committing a string of five bank robberies across Northern Massachusetts. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and is motivated by a desire to further its influence and to protect its turf from rival gangs. In the old days, receiving a key to the city actually opened some physical doors. Here are some things that should be a benefit for the few fortunate enough to receive a key to New Bedford. Have a question about Government Services? Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. The U.S. Attorney's Office said 28-year-old Jose Vasquez, known as "King Fearless," will also spend three years on probation following his release from prison after his . Listen to: Girlfriends With roots leading back to his hometown of San Francisco, 18-year-old Gibson SG-wielding phenom Asher Belsky was all but predestined to make musical noise. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. BOSTON A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced Wednesday on drug conspiracy charges. Ill be down to ride, Im talking homicide, put like 30 in the clip and let them bullets fly, one man raps in a video called Chronicles. Another video shows the same man sitting at a table, packaging cocaine base for distribution, officials said. One gang member then shot the victims, who escaped in the car and survived. His orders were often violent, Lelling said, including ordering the murder of those who questioned his authority and authorizing various levels of violence against anyone cooperating with law enforcement.. United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. More than 500 law enforcement agents began making arrests around 4 a.m. Thursday after the four-year investigation into the gang. The Almighty Latin Kings and Queen Nation is considered the oldest and largest predominantly Latino street gang in the country, tracing its roots to the 1960s in Chicago, where authorities say. This morning, over 500 federal, state and local law enforcement officers arrested dozens of Latin Kings members and associates and executed 31 search warrants at 24 locations. Amsterdam. This morning, over 500 federal, state and local law enforcement officers arrested dozens of Latin Kings members and associates and executed 31 search warrants at 24 locations. BOSTON A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Avitable is the 56th defendant to be sentenced, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a release. A lock ( Paris admitted to his role in a February 2019 shooting of rival gang members and his participation in the Latin Kings drug distribution conspiracy based in the City of New Bedford. DONT WORRY THE JUDGES WILL LET THEM OFF LIKE EVERY OTHER BUST LIKE THIS. Official websites use .gov = Mendez has historically held various leadership positions. Lelling said Operation Throne Down prevented at least eight murders. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts, Former Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Sentenced to Over Eight Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Boston Man Sentenced for Cambridge Bank Robbery, New Hampshire Man Indicted for Allegedly Robbing Five Massachusetts Banks, Boston Man Indicted for Robbing Brookline Bank, Former Member of New Bedford Latin Kings Sentenced To Over Eight Years In Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts, Defendant instructed Latin Kings members to attack rival gang members, Former Leader of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced for Racketeering and Cocaine Conspiracy, Fitchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Wide-Ranging Cocaine Conspiracy, Boston Man Sentenced for Cambridge Bank Robbery, Leader of Boston Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl Conspiracy and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Distribution Activities, Former Leader of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter Sentenced For Racketeering and Cocaine Conspiracy. Reyes-Smith is believed to have left Massachusetts following a May 2018 shooting that was caught on camera and for which he is currently in warrant status. Official websites use .gov Have a question about Government Services? 1 Courthouse Way, Suite 9200 As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf. All those charged were identified by their full names as well as nicknames such as King Nasty, King Fruity, and King Clumsy in charging documents. Reyes-Smith is a former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings, who is believed to have left the area and returned to North Carolina. InDecember 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. They had been targeted because they objected to Latin Kings members dealing drugs in their driveway. Orlando Santiago-Torres, a/k/a KING LANDY. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Served 20 years in the United States Air Force. Springfield:413-785-0235 AG hopeful Andrea Campbell weathered traumatic family history, She was found brutally killed on a Provincetown beach. Worcester:508-368-0100. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Santiago-Torres is the current Cacique of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Federal court documents detail how law enforcement spent four years infiltrating the gang, recording high-level conversations through informants and scouring social media for posts implicating any of its members in crimes. Vasquez is a former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings, and a former enforcer the New Bedford Chapter. On January 4, UPROSE, Brooklyn's oldest Latino community based organization, held its first Three . Following the shooting, Mendez discussed the incident on a court-authorized wiretap and advised the shooter that the victims would not be coming to court due to the efforts of the Latin Kings to intimidate them. A lock ( Cecchetelli allegedly reigned over 14 states, from Massachusetts to Florida, pulling the strings from his Springfield home. Learn how your comment data is processed. SNY. Three houses in New Bedford were seized that Bonavolonta said the Latin Kings were using as trap houses to store and sell illegal narcotics, stash firearms, and shoot music videos posting about their love of violence.. Joe Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBIs Boston division, said it was the largest takedown in the divisions history. Jose Rodriguez, a/k/a "King Stutter," 34, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The two great monetary corporations, the South-Sea Company and the Bank of England, made proposals to parliament on the 20th of May ensuing. I wanna see whose guns defend him now. Investigators believe that the term eat refers to inflicting physical violence, and has been used by other Latin Kings members in that regard. Kevin Guadalupe, a.k.a. BOSTON A Boston man has been indicted in connection with the September 2022 robbery of a bank in Brookline. The Latin Kings are known to sell cocaine, fentanyl and heroin. Carrasquillo is a current member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found athttps://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The East Coast and Massachusetts leadership of the Almighty Latin Kings and Queen Nation (Latin Kings), including more than 60 members and associates, face federal charges. Medina is the current Enforcer of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Those of Thursdays arrests that happened in Massachusetts were in Boston, Lowell, Springfield, Fitchburg, Chelsea, New Bedford, and Worcester. In December 2020, Paris pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. The charge of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides a sentence of up to 10 years, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Cecchetelli is alleged to be the conduit between each of the Eastern Region states and the Latin Kings national leadership in Chicago. These apartment buildings, referred to as "trap houses" by the Latin Kings, were used by the gang in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A locked padlock Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. In 2018, Johnson pleaded guilty to larceny from a person and assault and battery by means of dangerous weapon and was sentenced to 1 year in the House of Correction. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Other videos were shot at locations where Latin Kings members were murdered and feature threats to other gangs, court documents say. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Following the murder of a Latin Kings member in October 2019, and while serving as Inca of the New Bedford Chapter, Rodriguez was recorded during a Latin Kings meeting instructing members to attack rival gang members without seeking his specific approval for the acts of violence. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Another Latin Kings member then fired gunshots at the two victims striking them. Rodriguez is the 38th defendant to be sentenced in the case. Luis Mendez, a/k/a King Primo, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 100 months in prison, with credit for time served in related state cases, and three years of supervised release.