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Boston Gangster ‘Freeze’ Sentenced to 20.8 Years for Racketeering, Attempted Murder
BOSTON — Daronde ‘Freeze’ Bethea, a 32-year-old Boston-area man, was sentenced yesterday to 250 months in prison, or 20.8 years, for his role in the violent Boston gang Cameron Street.
Bethea, a member of the gang, pleaded guilty in February 2024 to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Bethea’s crimes included an attempted murder of a rival gang member in Dorchester in June 2018. According to court documents, the victim got into his car when Bethea shot him multiple times, causing the victim to have a collapsed lung.
In addition to the attempted murder, Bethea was involved in two violent home invasion robberies – in November 2017 in Dorchester and July 2018 in Canton. During a chase from the Canton home, Bethea was captured on a police cruiser camera possessing a loaded handgun that was later recovered.
U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young handed down the sentence, which includes three years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy praised the federal, state, and local collaboration that led to Bethea’s conviction and sentence.
‘This defendant will now pay a very heavy price for all the violence inflicted on our communities,’ Levy said. ‘The number of law-enforcement agencies that work together to secure this conviction and lengthy sentence is a testament to the federal state and local collaboration to combat violent crime and keep the law-abiding men and women who live in these communities safe.’
The investigation was a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Boston Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
As part of his role in the Cameron Street enterprise, Bethea used social media to promote the gang, celebrate murders and other violent crimes, and denigrate rival gangs. He allegedly possessed, carried, and used firearms; distributed controlled substances; committed armed robberies; and engaged in human trafficking to generate income for the gang.
The sentencing sends a message to the community that violent gang members will be held accountable, said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. ‘Sending a career criminal like Daronde Bethea to prison sends a message to the community that violent gang members will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe.’
Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA New England Field Division, added that drug trafficking and violence in communities is a serious threat to families and communities. ‘These crimes rob the neighborhoods of safety and hold law-abiding citizens of Massachusetts hostage to drug-fueled lawlessness. This is unacceptable and will not be allowed to happen.’
The Boston Police Department is proud to work with federal and state partners to bring violent criminals to justice, said Commissioner Michael Cox. ‘Criminals create gangs and other organized structures to disrupt the lives of residents using violence and intimidation, often targeting the vulnerable. This sentencing is an example of how we in law enforcement can bring our resources together to target those bad actors.’
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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