BOSTON, MA – In a major blow to the violent Boston gang Cameron Street, a key associate was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.
Michael Lopes, a/k/a “Meech,” 35, of Pawtucket, R.I., was handed the 57-month sentence by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young, followed by three years of supervised release. Lopes pleaded guilty in February 2024 to a one-count Superseding Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and methamphetamine.
During a two-year investigation into Cameron Street, authorities discovered that Lopes allegedly conspired with his cousin, Anthony Centeio, the alleged leader of the gang, to distribute the illicit substances. Lopes and Centeio reportedly made several sales of cocaine and cocaine base to a cooperating witness in Boston, Braintree, and Pawtucket, R.I. A search of Lopes’ Rhode Island residence in April 2022 turned up approximately 174 grams of cocaine base, 215 grams of cocaine, 180 grams of methamphetamine, packaging materials, and $2,342 in cash.
The investigation was a collaborative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Massachusetts State Police, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and various police departments.
Lopes’ sentence is a significant victory in the ongoing fight against organized crime in Boston. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division. The operation was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, a program aimed at disrupting and dismantling the most significant drug traffickers and gangs in the United States.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations, and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Related Federal Cases
- RI Associate ‘Meech’ Gets 4.75 Years for Cameron Street Cocaine Bust · Massachusetts
- Luis Lopez Gets 15 Years for Cocaine, Fentanyl Empire · Massachusetts
- Hector Quinones Gets 42 Months for Cocaine Distribution · Massachusetts
- Maine Man Gets Life Sentence for Meth Trafficking Conspiracy · Massachusetts
- Stoughton Drug Kingpin Gets Over 11 Years for Cocaine Smuggling and Relief Fraud · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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