Boston streets ran red with gang loyalty and fentanyl-laced deals before the fall of the Morton Street Bricks Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation. Now, Oscar Pena, a/k/a “King DO-Block,” 29, has copped to his role in the violent racketeering enterprise, pleading guilty yesterday to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity — a charge known on the streets and in courtrooms as RICO conspiracy.
Pena, once a foot soldier in the Boston-based Latin Kings faction tied to the Morton Street housing project, admitted to participating in a criminal structure that extended far beyond local drug corners. The Latin Kings, a nationwide violent criminal enterprise, operate under a rigid hierarchy, complete with a national manifesto, internal judiciary, and encrypted communication networks designed to evade law enforcement. Revenue flowed through drug distribution; power was maintained through fear, violence, and retaliation against rivals and witnesses.
The Morton Street Bricks — also known as “MSB” — was no minor crew. Though consisting of only about half a dozen members, the cell reported directly to the Massachusetts State Leadership of the Latin Kings, funneling funds, intelligence, and muscle to advance the gang’s statewide agenda. Pena didn’t just follow orders — he acted. Court documents reveal he personally sold approximately 38 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness, flooding the streets with a drug that has fueled countless overdoses across the region.
Pena was arrested in December 2019, swept up in a sweeping federal dragnet. That same month, a grand jury indicted 62 leaders, members, and associates of the Latin Kings on charges including racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy, and firearms offenses. He is now the fifth defendant to plead guilty in the sprawling case, marking another crack in the gang’s armored front.
U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel has scheduled sentencing for November 17, 2020. The RICO conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. As always, the final sentence will hinge on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors — but the fentanyl sales won’t be lost on the judge.
The takedown was a joint operation led by United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross. Critical support came from the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Mark Grady are prosecuting. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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