Peabody Man, 2 Other 'Gangster Disciples' Charged With Extortion

PEABODY, MA — Three men the U.S. Attorney's Office said are believed to be members of the "Gangster Disciple" gang, including one from Peabody and two currently serving prison terms, were indicted with threatening and extorting two victims to provide them with "aid and assistance" while they served prison terms.

The threats included physical violence and violence against the victims' families, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Damien Willette, 30, of Peabody; William Walley, 30, of Worcester; and Michael O'Shea, 36, of Fall River were indicted with conspiracy to make interstate communications with the intent to extort.

Willette and Walley were also charged with making interstate communications with intent to extort.

Willette was detained on Monday pending a hearing on March 10. O'Shea and Walley, who are serving state prison sentences, will appear in federal court in Boston on Wednesday.

According to court documents, Willette was the cellmate of Walley in March 2023 and, later, the cellmate of O'Shea from May 2023 through June 2023.

According to the charging documents, Willette told one victim to provide him with money during his incarceration from November 2020 to May 2024, as well as to his fellow incarcerated gang members.

On or about March 2023, the defendants are accused of threatening the victims with violence if they stopped providing the assistance.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Willette told the victims he would have gang members pistol whip the victims and that "it's going to be bad for you and everyone you know."

O'Shea is accused of having a gang associate tell one of the victims that that a Gangster
Disciple will "come find you and your family for thinking it's a game."

The charge of conspiracy to make interstate communications with the intent to extort provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.