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Chicago Gang Leader Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison
A convicted felon and leader of the violent Gangster 2-6 Nation street gang has been sentenced to 22 years in prison on federal gun and drug charges in a high-profile case that highlights the ongoing struggle to combat gang violence in Chicago.
Francisco Masias, 38, of Berwyn, was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison on Friday in federal court in Chicago for selling cocaine and illegally possessing 16 handguns. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer.
Masias, who had previously been convicted of a felony, illegally acquired the guns from an associate. He then gave the guns to Jose Maldonado, a fellow gang member who in turn provided them to another gang member. Law enforcement seized the firearms before they could be further distributed.
The sentencing is the latest development in a joint federal, state and local investigation dubbed “Operation Shady Business.” The probe, which was initiated by the Chicago Police Department and conducted under the umbrella of the U.S. Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), with assistance from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), has resulted in the convictions of Masias, Maldonado and more than 15 other defendants.
The investigation, which was led by the Chicago Police Department, used wiretaps, cooperating witnesses and surveillance to uncover the gang’s drug and gun activities. The probe also revealed that the gang violently protected its distribution of cocaine, and that a Nottingham Park residence that had been converted into a marijuana grow house was seized by officers, who found over 100 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $1 million.
Jason Herrera, who resided at the grow house and served as security, pleaded guilty to a drug charge and was sentenced to five years in prison. Maldonado, who was also convicted on gun and drug charges, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew F. Madden and Ankur Srivastava.
The sentencing of Masias is a significant blow to the Gangster 2-6 Nation, which operated a violent drug-trafficking organization on the West Side of Chicago, predominantly in the Little Village area. The case highlights the ongoing struggle to combat gang violence in Chicago and the importance of collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in tackling this issue.
Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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