Thursday, 4:30 PM
25 alleged Boston gang members charged with gun, drug offenses
By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff
Twenty-five people were indicted on drug and gun charges today in what authorities described as a crippling blow to "one of the most violent street gangs in the city of Boston."
Members of the Lucerne Street Doggz were responsible for 57 shootings and six homicides in 2005 and 2006 as they terrorized the Boston neighborhoods of Mattapan and Dorchester, authorities said. The gang had met twice with police, social workers, clergy, and city officials as part of an effort to broker a cease-fire with rivals, but the Lucerne Street Doggz resisted.
"These defendants were given an opportunity to turn their lives around," US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said today in a statement. "They chose instead to continue to terrorize the neighborhoods of Dorchester and Mattapan and this violent behavior will not be tolerated."
The gun and drug charges capped an 11-month investigation and were announced today at a press conference at Sullivan's office in Boston. Twenty-two of the 25 people charged are in custody.
The investigation included Boston and Quincy police, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and state and federal prosecutors.
"This collaborative effort was conceived as a means of extracting those individuals from the community who are known to be participating in shooting and drug related activities," said Commissioner Edward F. Davis of the Boston Police Department. "Putting an end to violence on city streets is my number one priority, and we will continue to pull every lever available to us to put violent criminals out of business."
The federal charges include: three felony counts of possession of firearms and ammunition; five counts of possession of crack cocaine with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a playground; one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine; and one count of "using a communication facility to facilitate drug trafficking." Authorities did not immediately elaborate on the last charge.
Charges brought by the Suffolk district attorney's office include eight drug violations and one count of attempting to intimidate a witness.
The investigation has resulted in a city that is "safer for everyone who lives, works, and raises families here," said Daniel F. Conley, the Suffolk district attorney.
