Probe Targeting Latin Kings Was Biggest In FBI Boston's History

BOSTON, MA — Dozens of leaders of the Latin Kings and Queen Nation crime organization were arrested and are facing federal charges after a five-year-long investigation by the FBI Boston Bureau's North Shore Gang Taskforce and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. Under the name "Operation Throne Down," the investigation focused on drug trafficking and racketeering by the Latin Kings, which is the oldest and largest Hispanic and Latino street gangs.

More than 60 people were charged, including leaders of the gang's east coast operations, U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said at a press conference in Boston Thursday. The investigation, which officials said was the biggest in the FBI Boston bureau's history, found evidence that the Latin Kings conspired to murder more than 10 people, including murder of he murder of 18-year-old Mario Oveido on Easter Sunday 2009 in Boston. The investigation also found evidence that the Latin Kings operated a large-scale drug trafficking operation and committed robberies, shootings and stabbings.

The highest-ranking member arrested was Michael Cecchetelli, of Springfield, who went by the name "King Merlin" and oversaw the east coast operations of the Latin Kings. Other high-ranking members arrested in the sweep included East Coast Crown Council chairwoman Esther Ortiz, a.k.a. "Queen India," and Hector Manuel Vega, a.k.a. "King Demon," a Crown Council member out of Connecticut.

During coordinated raids, the FBI executed 24 search warrants and recovered dozens of weapons, including an MP-5 submachine gun with a silencer, an AR-15, MAC 10, a sawed off shotgun, machetes, knives and several high capacity magazines. As of Thursday morning, the FBI had made 56 arrests and were still searching for eight suspects. Lelling said Cecchetelli ran the eastern region like La Cosa Nostra and oversaw the Latin Kings in 14 states.

More than 650 special agents and law enforcement officers set out to arrest 62 leaders & members of the Latin Kings in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey. To arrest the most dangerous subjects, the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force used 10 SWAT teams, five aircraft and three K-9 units.

During one of the raids in New Bedford, FBI agents located a 14-year-old boy from New Bedford and a 16-year-old boy from Fall River who had been reported missing.