Former “Chairman” of Massachusetts Latin Kings Crown Council Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy

BOSTON – The former Chairman of the Crown Council for the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) in Massachusetts pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges. As Chairman, the defendant was responsible for presiding over “trials” for gang members that violated the Latin Kings code of conduct.

Gregory Peguero-Colon, a/k/a “King Trece,” 48, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for June 9, 2021.

As alleged in court documents and during the plea hearing, Peguero-Colon admitted to serving as the Chairman of the Crown Council which was a role as an independent advisor to the State Leadership team. In that role, Peguero-Colon presided over Latin Kings “trials” to adjudicate violations of the King Manifesto and Constitution, which is the governing document of the Latin Kings, setting forth the code of conduct for its members. Peguero-Colon also kept and maintained a spreadsheet identifying individuals who were in bad standing with the gang for various reasons, including the fact that the individual had provided information to law enforcement, or committed “treason” against the gang. Peguero-Colon disseminated this spreadsheet to the Latin Kings members, and multiple people on the spreadsheet had in fact been targeted for violence by the Latin Kings.

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Peguero-Colon is the 39^th defendant to plead guilty in the case.

The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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