As part of his plea agreement, Avitable agreed to forfeit the three apartment buildings he owned in New Bedford that were used as trap houses by the Latin Kings. Blocks away from a New Bedford charter school, Latin Kings members cooked crack cocaine, collected guns, shot at rivals and shot music videos where they boasted about their criminal. In New Bedford, the Latin Kings ran a vast cocaine base distribution network that used multi-unit apartment buildings known as trap houses to distribute narcotics. 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. View this $1800000 4 bed, 3.0 bath, 4875 sqft single family home located at 27 Marcus Garvey Blvd built in 1931 on Zillow. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Officials believe some lyrics are admissions of shooting other gang members. The state defendants will be prosecuted by District Attorney Sutters Office. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Southeastern Massachusetts Gang Task Force. Assistant U.S. Three men, including the leader of the Latin Kings' "extremely well-organized and violent" New Bedford chapter, will be arraigned Monday in federal court on racketeering charges as gang members . More than 500 law enforcement agents began making arrests around 4 a.m. Thursday after the four-year investigation into the gang. Rodriguez and several others were tied to "trap houses" in New Bedford where Latin Kings members hid "nation" guns and drugs, according to the indictment. Of the 62 charged defendants in the raid, two remain in warrant status. Worcester:508-368-0100. In October 2019, a juvenile Latin Kings member was murdered steps away from one of the trap houses.. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. In another incident in July 2019, Santiago-Torres fired multiple times at rival gang members as they fled a fight with the Latin Kings in a New Bedford street. On June 15, 2021, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. More than 60 members of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation commonly known as the Latin Kings are facing federal charges after the FBI and other agencies carried out a large-scale. BOSTON (1420 WBSM) The former landlord associated with the New Bedford chapter of the Latin Kings who owned the trap houses used for their drug activity was sentenced today in federal court for racketeering and drug offenses. 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. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. Cecchetelli allegedly reigned over 14 states, from Massachusetts to Florida, pulling the strings from his Springfield home. Up through the 17th century, the area was the territory of the Wampanoag Native American people. Rivera is the 23rd defendant sentenced in the case. Paris is a current member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Here are some things that should be a benefit for the few fortunate enough to receive a key to New Bedford. US Department of Justice A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation pleaded guilty this week to racketeering charges, but she won't be sentenced for another year. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there are 11 active Latin Kings chapters in Massachusetts. Court documents indicate law enforcement used at least three confidential sources. Defendant agrees to forfeit three apartment buildings in New Bedford BOSTON - A former landlord and associate of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced today for racketeering and drug offenses. 1 Comment. The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. 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. BOSTON - A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation ("Latin Kings") pleaded guilty on March 3 to racketeering charges. The office stated that Vasquez is the 53rd defendant to be sentenced in the case. BOSTON - A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation ("Latin Kings") was sentenced yesterday on racketeering charges. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. BOSTON A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty on March 3 to racketeering charges. BOSTON It's seven years in prison for a former enforcer for the New Bedford chapter of the Latin Kings gang who pleaded guilty last year to racketeering conspiracy. Both victims fled in the vehicle and survived. Other videos were shot at locations where Latin Kings members were murdered and feature threats to other gangs, court documents say. As enforcer for the New Bedford Latin Kings,Vasquez approved a mission that involved shooting a victim in June 2019, the office stated. 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. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Among 11 active Latin Kings chapters in Massachusetts, New Bedford was singled out in the affidavit for its "extremely. Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of no more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. A December 2019 operation called "Operation Throne Down" saw 62 Latin Kings leaders, members and associates arrested and indicted for racketeering, drug trafficking, and firearms violations. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Depending on the drug quantity, the drug trafficking conspiracy and distribution charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years, 40 years, or life, a minimum of three, four or five years of supervised release and fines of $1 million, $5 million and $10 million. The sentence was handed down by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel despite the government recommending a sentence of 10 months in prison. 2023 www.southcoasttoday.com. Have a question about Government Services? Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found athttps://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. BOSTON - A former leader of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced today on racketeering and drug charges. In 2006, an investigation into the Latin Kings resulted in the state and federal prosecution of 37 members and associates in the New Bedford area, significantly disrupting the gang for several years. During the robbery, which was captured on video, the victim was chased down in the middle of a busy street, thrown to the ground and kicked and beaten by six members of the Latin Kings. In October was convicted of witness intimidation in New Bedford District Court, and placed on one year of probation. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Your email address will not be published. 3 Court documents detail years of gang members conspiring to kill snitches, organizing for prisoners to be attacked via coded letters, and running a robust drug trafficking organization. This has fostered a culture of institutional violence and secrecy. In 2010, law enforcement began to see an increase in street-level drug sales and violence in areas of the city known to be occupied by the Latin Kings. NEW BEDFORD FBI agents and New York Police Department officers raided two locations in the North End of New Bedford Thursday morning as part of a statewide crackdown on the Latin. Cecchetelli, a 40-year-old from Springfield with ties to the. BOSTON A Boston man has been indicted in connection with the September 2022 robbery of a bank in Brookline. New Bedford Latin Kings: Who they are and what they've done Jerry Boggs jboggs@s-t.com A total of 22 individuals are named from New Bedford as members of the Almighty Latin King and Queen. The victim reported that Johnson punched and kicked him, and that another Latin Kings member, Hector Torres, punched him and pushed him out of the apartment after they had stolen the cash from his wallet. Rodriguez served as Inca, or leader, of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Recordings from this year capture a cooperating witness purchasing cocaine from Valentin-Soto. The RICO conspiracy charge provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Several arrested members of the so-called Latin Kings street gang have been released on bail in New Bedford and local law enforcement officials are not pleased. SportsNet New York ( SNY) is an American regional sports network owned by Sterling Entertainment Enterprises, LLC, itself a joint venture between the Fred Wilpon (which owns a controlling 65% interest) Sterling Equities, Charter Communications through its acquisition of Time Warner Cable in May 2016 (which owns 27%) and Comcast, through . The U.S. Attorneys Office said the partnership between Avitable and Rodriguez granted a safe haven to the Latin Kings allowing crimes to fester and grow more brazen as members operated with a sentence of impunity. There are 11 active Latin Kings Chapters operating in Massachusetts: D5K (Boston), Morton Street Bricks (Boston), New Bedford, Springfield, Lynn/Salem, Chelsea, Lowell, Lawrence, Worcester, Fitchburg and within the Department of Corrections. Figueroa is a current member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings and former member of the Devon Street Kings Chapter. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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.. Lock Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Three men, including the alleged leader of the Latin Kings' "extremely well-organized and violent" New Bedford chapter, will be arraigned Monday in federal court on racketeering charges as. Official websites use .gov 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. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Lellings Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. Lopez-Velez is a probationary member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. These are the top stories of the past week on, New Bedford School Committee Members on Student Protest Against Oliver, New Bedford Mayor, City Councilor Denounce Councilor-Elect Olivers Memes, New Bedfords Hotel Waverly Most Recently Provided Sober Housing, New Bedford LGBTQ Students, Allies Plan Protest Over Olivers Election, Company Behind Former New Bedford Methadone Clinic Proposal Charged With Fraud, New Bedford 2016 Clinton Visit May Have Violated Election Laws, New Bedford Relocating Senior Programs and Adult Day Care, Massachusetts Pandemic SNAP Benefits End March 2. A total of 22 individuals are named from New Bedford as members of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation in the indictment filed by FBI Special Agent Dominic Coppo. NEW YORK, June 8 (Reuters) - Forty-six people who authorities say are members or associates of the Latin Kings street gang face narcotics trafficking charges after a major drug sweep in. Lelling said nearly all of the East Coast leadership was charged in the sting. Members of the gangs East Coast leadership are among those charged, according to authorities. 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. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2021. A lock ( Mendez was also present during a December 2018 group assault in a garage, where co-defendant Michael Cotto, a/k/a King Gordo, was captured participating in a group assault of another individual and observed striking the victim with a baseball bat. The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man. 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. King K-Milly, 19, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. BOSTON A Boston man has been indicted in connection with the September 2022 robbery of a bank in Brookline. A locked padlock Velazquez is a current member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Bonavolonta said law enforcement learned of the gangs planned violence over and over throughout the investigation. Santiago-Torres is the current Cacique of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. Four Latin Kings, including a New Bedford teen accused in multiple assaults, have been released on bail by federal judges after the massive "Operation Throne Down" sweep earlier this month,. 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. In December 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. Police in New Bedford say. Former Latin Kings Crown Council Chairman Angel Rodriguez (King Ace) pled guilty and his sentencing is scheduled for April, according to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. These apartment buildings, referred to as "trap houses" by the Latin Kings, were used by the gang in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy. Amsterdam Tourism Amsterdam Hotels Amsterdam Bed and Breakfast Amsterdam Vacation Rentals Amsterdam Vacation Packages Earlier . Cecchetelli is alleged to be the conduit between each of the Eastern Region states and the Latin Kings national leadership in Chicago. MLS #. Another Latin Kings member then fired gunshots at the two victims striking them. The following defendants have been charged: MSB, (Former) State Team Head of Security, Former New Bedford Member, now in North Carolina, A Massachusetts man was found guilty in the District of Columbia of felony and misdemeanor . A lock ( Your email address will not be published. During the four-year investigation, law enforcement developed evidence that the Latin Kings trafficked drugs, conspired to murder more than 10 victims, and committed violent crimes including numerous incidents of robbery, shootings, stabbings and witness intimidation. In November 2020, Lugo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine base. 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. One gang member then shot the victims, who escaped in the car and survived. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Vargas is a current member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings. December 5, 2019 0:00 / 1:54 Dozens of Latin Kings arrested in federal sweep WCVB Channel 5 Boston 195K subscribers Subscribe 964 Share 122K views 3 years ago Dozens of members of the Latin Kings gang have. Investigators obtained a series of Facebook messages from January related to the planned beating of an individual who had posted photographs of himself throwing up Latin Kings gang signs, though he is not affiliated with the gang. To that end, the young six-string champion has made good on his initial promise, having shared the stage with Marcus King at the Crossroads Festival when he was just 14. Boston, MA 02210, Boston:617-748-3100 In December 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. We found a few you might not have explored yet that are definitely worth the trip. Springfield:413-785-0235 An official website of the United States government. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorneys Offices. All the profits from the day are going to be donated to two . Attorneys Philip A. Mallard of Mendells Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case. Avitable was originally arrested as part of Operation Throne Down in December 2019, in which 62 suspected Latin Kings and Queens and their associates were arrested, as 31 search warrants were executed at 24 locations including locations in New Bedford at 358 North Front Street and 239 Sawyer Street. 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. As part of the plea agreement, Avitable has agreed to forfeit the three apartment buildings that he owned in the City of New Bedford. Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a press conference that the operation, dubbed Operation Throne Down, was focused on targeting the East Coast leadership of the gang. RUIZ is also featured in a number of YouTube videos with other members of the New Bedford Chapter depicting her wearing gang colors, and flashing gang signs. Ines Lugo is the 16thdefendant to be sentenced in the case. 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. BOSTON ( 1420 WBSM) The former landlord associated with the New Bedford chapter of the Latin Kings who owned the "trap houses" used for their drug activity was sentenced today in federal court for racketeering and drug offenses. The government recommended a sentence of 18 months incarceration. District of Massachusetts Dozens of firearms, including machine guns and sawed-off shotguns, were seized, as well as six cars, six motorcycles, three jet skis, an ATV, various drugs, and about $38,000 in cash. During that incident, multiple Latin Kings members chased the two victims to a vehicle, surrounded the vehicle, and slashed their tires. BOSTON A Boston man has been sentenced for robbing a TD Bank branch in Cambridge. Statement of Mayor Jon Mitchell on federal raids in Massachusetts cities including New Bedford: I am grateful for the work of the U.S. Attorneys Office, along with the FBI and state and local law enforcement agencies, in undertaking such a comprehensive effort to neutralize the activities of the Latin Kings across New England. Lock Boston, MA 02210, Boston:617-748-3100 The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Time after time, we uncovered their planning of brazen acts of violence against those who ran afoul of the gangs manifesto and constitution, he said. Follow Boston.com on Instagram (Opens in a New Tab), Follow Boston.com on Twitter (Opens in a New Tab), Like Boston.com on Facebook (Opens in a New Tab). Multiple search warrants executed by the New Bedford Police Department targeted locations where Mendez resided, and drug were seized as a result. 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. .hide-if-no-js { 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 . The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. All rights reserved. New Bedford Latin Kings bought houses they planned to renovate and flip in an elaborate scheme to launder drug money, feds say a move one organized crime expert called an indicator of how . Vasquez had pleaded guilty to the federal racketeering charges in July 2021. Boston Office: Contact Us- Overview- Territory/Jurisdiction, News and Outreach- Press Room | Stories- In Your Community, About Us- Our People & Capabilities- What We Investigate- Our Partnerships- Boston History, This content has been reproduced from its. Street brawls, beatings, shootings and robberies regularly occurred within, or in front of, the apartment buildings. A February recording captures Barboza and others discussing the beating of an individual. 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. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. Here are descriptions from his bios of the city players: Jose Rodriguez is the current Inca for the New Bedford Chapter of The Latin Kings, and is the brother of Jorge Rodriguez and Roberto Vargas.
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