Nine Alleged Gang Affiliates Indicted In Boston

BOSTON, MA – The state attorney general indicted nine alleged gang members and associates in seven separate cases before a Grand Jury Monday, on drug and gun charges.

State AG Maura Healey said in a press release the suspects "are involved in a criminal operation that brought deadly drugs and illegal guns into our communities."

Almost all of those indicted Tuesday are in their 20s, and most are from Chelsea or East Boston.

The cases are the culmination of a 2015 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-led investigation into Boston's 18th Street Gang and the East Side Money Gang. Members and associates allegedly trafficked illegal guns and drugs through East Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Jamaica Plain. Those drugs allegedly included heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, a synthetic drug believed to be the leading contributor to rising opioid-related overdose deaths so far in 2016.

The defendants were arrested during a large, statewide sweep earlier this year, where 66 gang members were arrested on federal and state charges.

Read More: Dozens Arrested on Gun, Drug Charges in Statewide Raids

A full list of those charged Tuesday is below, provided by Healey's office:

Wilmer Reyes and Anilber Marquez

Wilmer Reyes, 23, of Chelsea and Anilber Marquez, 21, of East Boston, were charged with trafficking over 10 grams of fentanyl. They will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date. Reyes and Marquez were arraigned in Chelsea District Court on June 23 and Reyes was released on $2,500 cash bail and Marquez was released on $1,000 cash bail. An ATF investigation revealed Reyes and Marquez allegedly sold what was later determined to be 29 grams of fentanyl in Revere.

Joseph Lorenzo and Virginia Lebron

Joseph Lorenzo, 29, and Virginia Lebron, 36, both of East Boston, were charged with trafficking over 18 grams of heroin. They will be arraigned at a later date in Suffolk Superior Court. An ATF investigation revealed Lorenzo and Lebron allegedly arranged for the sale of two fingers of heroin at an East Boston home linked to Lebron.

Miguel Lorenzo

Miguel Lorenzo, 26, of East Boston, was charged with trafficking over 18 grams of heroin. He will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date. He was arraigned in East Boston District Court on June 10 and was released on $5,000 cash bail under the condition that he be monitored via a GPS. An ATF investigation revealed he allegedly arranged for the sale of two fingers of heroin in East Boston.

Eddie Lorenzo

Eddie Lorenzo, 28, of East Boston was charged with trafficking over 36 grams of cocaine. He will be arraigned at a later date in Suffolk Superior Court. He was arraigned in East Boston District Court on June 10 and was released on $10,000 cash bail under the condition he be monitored via GPS. An ATF investigation revealed he allegedly sold 42 grams of cocaine in East Boston.

Yunisleydi Santuce

Yunisleydi Santuce, 31, of East Boston, was charged with trafficking over 18 grams of heroin. She will be arraigned at a later date in Suffolk Superior Court. She was arraigned in Easton Boston District Court on June 9 and was released on $10,000 cash bail. An ATF investigation revealed Santuce allegedly sold three fingers of heroin in East Boston.

Jonathan Vasquez

Jonathan Vasquez, 21, of Boston, was charged with illegally carrying a firearm, trafficking in 1-2 firearms, illegally carrying a loaded firearm and illegally possessing ammunition. An ATF investigation revealed Vasquez allegedly illegally sold a firearm and ammunition in Jamaica Plain. He will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date. Vasquez was arraigned on July 12 and held on $5,000 cash bail.

Jesse Cardona-Restrepo

Jesse Cardona-Restrepo, 21, of Chelsea, was charged with trafficking in 1-2 firearms, illegally carrying a firearm and illegally possessing ammunition. He will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court at a later date. An ATF investigation revealed he allegedly illegally sold a revolver and ammunition in Chelsea.

>> Image, via WHDH 7News, shows guns recovered during raids earlier this year that led to the arrest of 66 gang members and associates