Boston Man Charged with Distributing Crack Cocaine

BOSTON – A Boston man who is allegedly a member of the St. James/Marcella gang was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with distributing crack cocaine.

Anthony Jackson, a/k/a “Hollywood,” 29, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Jackson made an initial appearance in federal court via videoconference this afternoon, and was detained pending a detention hearing on Nov. 5, 2020.

According to court documents, between Sept. 1, 2020 and Oct. 3, 2020, Jackson distributed crack cocaine to a cooperating witness on five occasions in Cambridge and Boston.

As alleged in the charging documents, Jackson has state convictions for unlawfully carrying a dangerous weapon, carrying a loaded firearm and possession of illegal substances.

The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.