Crime & Safety

Malden Gangs and Cops Part of Statewide Raids

Dozens of alleged gang members, including from gangs based in Malden, were arrested Thursday morning as part of a multi-agency investigation

MALDEN, MA - Dozens of alleged gang members, including from gangs based in Malden, were arrested Thursday morning as part of a multi-agency investigation that included the Malden Police Department.

U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz announced Thursday that 66 alleged gang members from the Greater Boston area have been charged with federal and state firearm and drug charges, including federal RICO conspiracy charges related to an attempted murder.

It is alleged that these individuals were responsible for fueling a gun and drug pipeline across a number of cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts.

Find out what's happening in Maldenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

During the course of the investigation, over 70 firearms were seized.

Authorities say the year-long investigation initially focused on the 18th Street Gang in Boston but later included gangs aligned with the focus - the East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Gang.

Find out what's happening in Maldenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

These gangs operated primarily in Malden, East Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Revere and Everett. Additional individuals were taken into custody on federal immigration violations, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

According to court documents, the 18th Street Gang is a multi-national gang that operates throughout the United States and Central America and whose members in the Boston area have had significant access to firearms in Boston and Chelsea. Over a one-year period, investigators seized approximately 37 firearms from 18th Street Gang members alone, including 29 handguns, three assault rifles and five sawed-off shotguns, many of which had the serial numbers obliterated.

During a press conference, investigators said that the arrests were designed to disrupt the gang's distribution network for heroin, crack cocaine and illegal firearms.

In total, 53 defendants have been charged in federal court, three of whom were previously arrested, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. Thirteen defendants have been charged by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office in state court. Over two dozen individuals have been detained for administrative deportations.

Below is a list of suspects who were taken into custody and charged in federal court:

  1. Angel Mejia Zelaya, a/k/a “Stackz,” 21, of Chelsea
  2. Brandon Baez, a/k/a “Big Baby,”18, of Chelsea
  3. Roberto Christian Jimenez-Heyer, a/k/a “Forty,” 19, of Chelsea
  4. Josue Rodriguez, a/k/a “SB,” a/k/a “Superbad,” 19, of Chelsea
  5. Wilfredo Delacruz, 19, of Lynn
  6. Henry Del-Rio, a/k/a “Junior,” 19, of Chelsea
  7. Elyhas Diaz, a/k/a “Boi-Boi,” 19, of Chelsea
  8. Anna Garcia a/k/a “Janice,” a/k/a “J,” 28, of Chelsea
  9. Cristian Gonzalez, a/k/a “Chee,” 23
  10. Jessika Heyer, 40, of Chelsea
  11. Jerry Leiva, a/k/a “Fetti,” 19, of Chelsea
  12. Jose Perez, 19, of Lynn
  13. Emmitt Simpkins, a/k/a “Easy,” 21, of Chelsea
  14. Robert Lewis, 30, of Lynn
  15. Victor Florentino, 21, of Dorchester
  16. Alejandro Ojeda, a/k/a “Progress,” 24, of Boston
  17. Jonathan Pena, 22, of East Boston
  18. Jose Muniz, a/k/a “Gunda,” 28, of Chelsea
  19. Oscar Oliva, a/k/a “Droopy,” 25, of East Boston
  20. Ralph Bonano, 22, of East Boston
  21. Jamir Hernandez, 22, of Revere
  22. Lester Martinez, a/k/a “Chapin,” 33, of East Boston
  23. Jose Pineda Ramirez, a/k/a “Lil Joker,” 23, of East Boston
  24. Dennis Pleites Ramos, 22, of Chelsea
  25. Jose Ramos Rivera, a/k/a “Pumba,” 25, of Chelsea
  26. Luis Serrano, a/k/a “Catracho,” a/k/a “Cheeky,” 26, of East Boston
  27. Brian Segura, 25, of Chelsea
  28. Cristian Velasquez, a/k/a “Bombio,” 23
  29. Omar Villegas, a/k/a “Negrito,” 21, of Chelsea
  30. Jassel Castillo, a/k/a “Shells,” 21, of Boston
  31. Jose Herrera, 28, of Quincy
  32. Victor Pena, 46, of Brockton
  33. Michael Romero, a/k/a “Little Mikey,” 29, of East Boston
  34. Antonio Sosa, 29, of Brockton
  35. Anthony Terrones, a/k/a “Squirrel,” 30, of Jamaica Plain
  36. Alfidis Victorino, a/k/a “Junior,” 21, of Hyde Park
  37. Rosnil Ortiz, a/k/a “Rico,” 23, of Roslindale
  38. Juan Pena, a/k/a “JJ Lavoie,” 24, of Roxbury
  39. Luis Rivera, a/k/a “Fat Louie,” 33 of Brockton
  40. Kenneth Burke, 26, of Brockton
  41. Kevin Davis, a/k/a “Flizzo,”32, of Brockton
  42. Vaughn Lewis, 36, of Brockton
  43. Mannie Myers, 37, of Brockton
  44. Brian Price, 34, of Brockton
  45. Curtis Silva, a/k/a “Piff,”29, of Brockton
  46. Manuel Martinez, a/k/a “Manny,” 28, of East Boston
  47. Jeheil Hector, 19, of East Boston
  48. James Warner, 29, of East Boston
  49. Moises Casado a/k/a “Moi,” 20, of Chelsea
  50. Santo Yera

The following federal defendants were previously in custody:

  1. Oswaldo Sousa
  2. Mark Leaston
  3. Dejahn Harrison

Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's office. Arrests and charges mentioned don't imply conviction.

Image Credit: WHDH, 7-News


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.