BOSTON (WHDH) - The U.S. Department of Justice announced charges Wednesday against several suspected gang members in Massachusetts.
Prosecutors said the trans-national Trinitarios gang has terrorized the state for over a decade. Lynn and Lawrence were the communities most impacted by the violence.
The 22 people charged Wednesday are alleged to be Trinitarios gang leaders, members, and associates. They are being charged in connection with six murders and 11 attempted murders, according to a statement from FBI Boston. Among the victims is a 16-year-old boy.
Many were arrested by local, state, and federal authorities early Wednesday morning, prosecutors said.
U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley held a news conference at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston later that morning.
“Some of these individuals are in this country as naturalized citizens or green card holders. Some of these defendants chose to turn the land of opportunity into the land of an opportunist. They used the privilege of citizenship and immigration status to create a criminal empire that has devastated neighborhoods in Massachusetts and destroyed lives,” Foley said.
“That anarchy ends today,” she continued.
Some suspects faced a federal judge Wednesday afternoon. All pleaded not guilty.
An investigation continues and law enforcement hasn’t ruled out more possible arrests.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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