Boston Gang Member ‘Bucky’ Gets 10 Years for Racketeering, Drugs

BOSTON – In a major blow to Boston’s violent underworld, 35-year-old Paulo Santos, aka ‘Bucky’, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the notorious Cameron Street gang.

U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young handed down the sentence, which includes four years of supervised release, following Santos’ guilty plea in January 2024 to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Court documents reveal that Cameron Street is a violent gang based in the Dorchester section of Boston, which uses violence and threats to preserve and expand its territory, promote fear, and enhance its reputation. Members of the gang possess, carry, and use firearms to murder and assault rivals, as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds.

As part of his role in the gang, Santos and another member assaulted and robbed a rival gang member outside the Dorchester District Court on December 6, 2019. A Snapchat video posted later that day showed Santos identifying the victim as a rival gang member, chasing him, and shouting to another gang member, ‘Get him!’ The video also included captions praising Cameron Street and denigrating the victim’s gang.

At the time of Santos’ arrest, authorities seized approximately 900 grams of cocaine, 500 grams of marijuana, a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver, and $15,597 in cash from his stash house in Hingham. This is Santos’ third firearm conviction, following a previous four-to-five-year state prison sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm.

The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which brings together multi-agency teams to disrupt and dismantle major drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance from the Massachusetts State Police, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and local police departments.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations, and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.