Feds bust more than 40 alleged Boston-area gang members on gun, drug, fraud charges (2024)

Crime

The accused are allegedly linked to the Heath Street Gang, which operates out of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments public housing complex in Jamaica Plain.

By Abby Patkin

February 14, 2024

More than 40 people are facing federal charges following a crackdown on a Boston-area gang suspected in several murders, shootings, retail thefts, and fraud schemes, authorities announced Wednesday.

The accused are members and associates of the Heath Street Gang, which allegedly operates out of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments public housing complex in Jamaica Plain, acting U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua Levy said during a press conference.

“Formed in the 1980s, it is alleged that the Heath Street Gang is comprised of over 150 members and has historically been involved in acts of violence to preserve and protect the Gang’s power, territory and reputation,” Levy’s office explained in a subsequent press release.

Authorities arrested nearly two dozen alleged gang members and associates on Wednesday morning, also charging several more individuals who are currently in state and federal custody, Levy said. Charges include racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, wire fraud, and financial crimes.

The individuals charged in the racketeering conspiracy were allegedly involved in three separate murders and multiple shootings, according to Levy. He noted that officials seized more than 60 firearms throughout the course of their investigation.

The suspected gang members allegedly bragged about their violence on social media, as well as in text messages and music videos. According to Levy, one video included the line: “I can say the names but I might make the feds come for us.”

“Well, the feds have come for you,” Levy replied. “And we showed up with our federal, state, and local partners in a highly coordinated effort to root out violence, stop gun and drug trafficking, and bring peace to this public housing development.”

The gang’s alleged criminal activity didn’t stop at physical violence, he said. Some of the defendants are accused of receiving thousands of dollars in fraudulent unemployment assistance and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) funds.

“All told, the COVID fraud in this case is over $900,000,” Levy said, alleging that the defendants bragged about using some of the funds to buy more than 100 guns.

The gang’s purported retail theft, meanwhile, involved “walking into stores like Nordstroms, Victoria’s Secrets, Sunglass Hut, grabbing thousands of dollars in merchandise, threatening security personnel who came up, walking out the front door with all those goods,” Levy said.

All the while, the Heath Street Gang was allegedly using children to assist in their criminal activity; according to Levy, juveniles served as lookouts, held onto drugs and guns, and engaged in shootings for the gang.

“These bad actors that we targeted today took advantage of young people,” Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said. “They used fear, intimidation, violence to gain personally. They took advantage of the youngest amongst us. They took advantage of the sons and daughters in these neighborhoods and actually turned them to a life of crime.”

He said city officials will follow up with the Mildred C. Hailey community in hopes of targeting the root causes of crime and connecting younger residents with programs and resources to steer them away from criminal activity.

As Levy explained, “The honest, law-abiding people who live in the Hailey apartments want the same thing we all want: They want to be able to send their children off to school, out to play, without fear that they’re going to be hurt or recruited into a gang.”

He said officials “hope that today’s a significant step to making Boston even safer.”

Cox agreed: “This is an impactful investigation; this is going to be impactful for our city for some time to come,” he said.

Below are the names and charges authorities announced Wednesday, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

• Jaquori Lyons, also known as “Gizzle” or “Y Gizzle,” 25, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Joan Avalo-Quezada, also known as “Trouble,” 26, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Trevon Bell, also known as “Moula,” 27, of Roslindale, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Keonte Campbell, also known as “Keko,” 28, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Amos Carrasquillo, also known as “Cruddy,” 35, of Mattapan, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Deshawn Cirino, also known as “D” or “Lil D,” 26, of Boston, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Dominique Finch, also known as “Heff,” 34, of Boston, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Zion Ford, also known as “Bricks,” 24, of Hyde Park, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Tyrre Herring, also known as “Blick” or “Smoov,” 26, of Billerica, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• De’vonne Mcdonald-Jones, also known as “Daedae” or “D Jones,” 27, of Roslindale, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Rickquille Mckinney, also known as “Ricky Mazarati” or “Mozzy,” 30, of Arlington, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Amani Perkins, also known as “Chop” or “Choppa,” 25, of Mattapan, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Michael Riley, also known as “Snyda” or “Sneed,” 46, of Malden, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Keyon Roberson, also known as “Beano,” 23, of Dorchester, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Randy Diaz-Pizarro, 32, of Central Falls, Rhode Island, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition;
• Bryon Palmer, 36, of Charlestown, is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl;
• Rolando Coxon, 31, of Hyde Park, is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl;
• Cerone Davis, 30, of Arlington, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility;
• Donte Daily, 33, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition;
• Theodore Gamble-Williams, 39, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Jameel Gibbons, 39, of Roslindale, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Charles Bomman, 33, of Roxbury, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Deondre Blanding, 27, of Roslindale, is charged with possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime;
• Gelson Rodrigues, 33, of Randolph, is charged with possession of firearm in furtherance of violent or drug trafficking crime;
• Riccara McKinney, 28, of Roxbury, is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act and wire fraud;
• Rachel McKinney, 32, of Arlington, is charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act and wire fraud;
• Teshawnda Knight, 41, of Hyde Park, is charged with wire fraud;
• Antawn Davis, 39, of Boston, is charged with wire fraud;
• Taisha Garcia, 27, of Lynn, is charged with wire fraud;
• Dawan Searcy, 32, of Somerville, is charged with wire fraud;
• Nathan Bootman, 26, of Randolph, is charged with wire fraud;
• Jameela Gross, 27, of Jamaica Plain, is charged with wire fraud;
• Robert Platt, 44, of Brockton, is charged with wire fraud;
• Donovan Scarlett, 25, of West Roxbury, is charged with wire fraud;
• David Avalo, 28, of Hyde Park, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Victor Pimentel, 27, of Brockton, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Amanda LaPointe, 39, of Ripley, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Krystin Mathewson, 38, of Enfield, Connecticut, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Jacob Lyford, 32, of Milo, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances;
• Michael St. Pierre, 54, of Dedham, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; and
• Kayla Tasker, 31, of Dexter, Maine, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.