BOSTON — A Latin Kings associate has pleaded guilty to a firearms offense in a federal court.
Derek Southworth, 34, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for May 19, 2022.
On April 18, 2017, Southworth provided an AK-47 style rifle and approximately 49 rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness. The transaction was captured on audio-video recording. Due to a prior conviction, Southworth is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise with thousands of members across the United States. The gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy, and firearms charges against dozens of leaders, members, and associates of the Latin Kings. Southworth is the 56th defendant to plead guilty in the case.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Massachusetts Department of Correction, and the New Bedford Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related Federal Cases
- Darnell C. Butcher, Felon in Possession of Firearms and Crack Cocai… · Kentucky
- Joseph J. Kennedy, Felon in Possession of Ammunition, Boston MA, 2015 · Massachusetts
- Gary Lee Walls, Felon Firearm Possession, Eugene OR, 2015 · Massachusetts
- Charles Benoit, Child Pornography Possession, Massachusetts 2010 · Massachusetts
- Viviane Cazeau, Bank Fraud Scheme, Massachusetts, 2023 · New Hampshire
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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