Somerville Man Gets 9 Years In Prison For Robberies, Kidnapping

SOMERVILLE, MA — A Brazilian gang member living in Somerville was sentenced to nine years in prison Wednesday for his role in a series of kidnappings and armed robberies, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Breno Henrique DaSilva, 22, is a member of Primeiro Comando da Massachusetts (PCM), a Brazilian gang believed to be behind drug and weapons dealing, robberies, kidnappings and armed assaults in Boston, Malden, Everett, Somerville, Framingham, Peabody and other Massachusetts communities, the USAO said.

Authorities believe PCM first appeared in Massachusetts in 2017 and started investigating the gang the following year.

In October, DaSilva pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs by a pattern of racketeering and conspiracy to commit robbery. He admitted to committing armed robberies on Jan. 14, 2019 in Framingham and on Jan. 16, 2019 in Stoughton, the USAO said.

Federal authorities said DaSilva also admitted to kidnapping a woman in Peabody on Feb. 7, 2019. DaSilva and his co-defendant, Edson DaSilva, who is not related to him, lured the woman out of a home in Peabody and took her to a Maynard residence, where she was held at gunpoint and threatened, the USAO said.

Authorities said PCM believed the woman could help them target a rival gang member for violence, but a cooperating witness alerted law enforcement.

DaSilva will be deported upon his release from prison.