Connect with us

Northeast

Feds charge over 40 Boston gang members with drug trafficking, COVID fraud, and other crimes in sweeping case

Published

on

Feds charge over 40 Boston gang members with drug trafficking, COVID fraud, and other crimes in sweeping case
  • Federal authorities announced charges against dozens of Heath Street Gang members on Wednesday.
  • Charges include drug trafficking, targeted attacks on rivals, recruitment and organized retail theft.
  • Members are also accused of unemployment and COVID-19 fraud worth a combined value of over $900,000.

Dozens of gang members operating mostly out of a public housing development in a Boston neighborhood have been accused of dealing drugs, targeting their rivals in shootings and recruiting young people with the enticement of appearing in their songs and videos, federal authorities said Wednesday.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said the charges against the more than 40 members and associates of the Heath Street Gang included unemployment and COVID-19 fraud totaling more than $900,000. They are also accused of organized retail theft, in which they allegedly stole thousands of dollars in merchandise from stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, including Nordstrom and Victoria’s Secret.

“One of the core missions of the Department of Justice is to keep communities safe, and the case we are announcing today goes right to that bedrock priority,” Levy told reporters, adding that nearly two dozen members of the gang were arrested Wednesday morning. Over 60 firearms were also seized as part of the two-year investigation.

FBI FEARS VENEZUELA MIGRANT GANG MEMBERS COULD POTENTIALLY TEAM UP WITH MS-13 KILLERS

“The defendants charged in the racketeering conspiracy have been alleged to be involved in three separate murders and multiple shootings,” he said. “Some of those shootings left innocent victims in crossfire, including a 9-year-old girl who was severely injured attending a family gathering.”

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the case shows the department’s willingness to listen to the concerns of the community in and around the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments in Jamaica Plain. He was hoping the charges and arrests would help build trust with residents.

Advertisement

Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy speaks at the federal courthouse in Boston on Feb. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)

“These bad actors that we targeted today took advantage of young people,” Cox said.

“They used fear and intimidation and violence to gain personally. They took advantage of the youngest amongst us,” he said. “They took advantage of the sons and daughters in these neighborhoods and turned them to a life of crime. This is an impactful investigation. This is going to be impactful for our city for some time to come.”

The gang members, many of whom are expected to appear in court later Wednesday, are accused of attempting to murder rival gang members, dealing drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, and recruiting juveniles to serve as lookouts, to hold guns and drugs and to “engage in shootings.”

“That is a problem we’re hearing about from urban police chiefs across Massachusetts and frankly across the country,” Levy said. “The honest law-abiding people who live in the Hailey apartments want the same thing we all want. They want to be able to send their children off to school, out to play without fear they are going to be hurt or recruited into a gang.”

Advertisement

The gang is also accused of widespread pandemic-aid fraud, including one defendant who applied for unemployment assistance in 10 states and Guam. The gang also is accused of submitting nearly two dozen fraudulent employment letters for a company called Married 2 The Mop and bragging of using the pandemic funds to buy over 100 guns.

“We’re seeing gang activity taking advantage of the situation we were all in during the pandemic and the rush to get money out to people who needed it. There was a lot of fraud,” Levy said. “We are seeing this happen in this violent-crime sector that people were taking advantage of the loopholes and the fog of war, if you will, to pump through a lot of fraudulent applications.”

Read the full article from Here

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Northeast

Pennsylvania bus driver charged with endangering dozens of elementary students while intoxicated

Published

on

Pennsylvania bus driver charged with endangering dozens of elementary students while intoxicated

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 elementary school children while over four times the legal alcohol limit, authorities said, after reports she was swerving through traffic and nearly hitting vehicles before the bus ended up in a snowbank.

On Tuesday, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Douglass Township Police Chief Robert B. Evans announced an arrest warrant for Kelly Weber, 46, of Boyertown.

Weber is charged with driving under the influence, 54 counts each of endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangerment and related summary offenses.

Authorities said police were alerted around 4 p.m. Feb. 6 that a school bus was driving erratically and narrowly missing other vehicles.

Advertisement

A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 children with a .331% BAC before stopping in a snowbank. She faces DUI and 54 child endangerment counts. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)

A responding officer later found the bus stopped in a snowbank.

Investigators said officers found an open 750ml bottle of Tito’s vodka, two empty 50ml bottles and a receipt showing the alcohol was purchased earlier that morning.

RHODE ISLAND TEACHER ACCUSED OF SEXTING, KISSING HIGH SCHOOL BOY

A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 children with a .331% BAC before stopping in a snowbank. She faces DUI and 54 child endangerment counts. (iStock)

Advertisement

According to authorities, a blood test showed Weber’s blood alcohol concentration was .331%, more than four times the legal limit of .08%, and detected Delta-9 Carboxy THC.

Investigators said 54 children were on the bus, including five younger than 6. Several children called or texted their parents during the ride because they were frightened by the driving, and one child exited at an earlier stop and was picked up by his parents, authorities said.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACH CHARGED WITH RAPING FOSTER DAUGHTER, SERVING VICTIM TEQUILA SHOTS: REPORT

A Pennsylvania school bus driver is accused of driving 54 children with a .331% BAC before stopping in a snowbank. She faces DUI and 54 child endangerment counts. (iStock, File)

“More than 50 young children were in a dangerous situation created by this defendant, who chose to consume a significant amount of alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a school bus and drive miles while intoxicated,” Steele said. “We are all thankful that this defendant didn’t crash the bus and cause further harm to these children.”

Advertisement

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Weber checked herself into a rehabilitation facility after the incident, authorities said. She is expected to turn herself in for arraignment, at which time bail will be set.

Related Article

Woman allegedly steals bus from elementary school parking lot, goes on late night ride

Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading

Boston, MA

Each mile is for her miracle: This Granby mom is running the Boston Marathon with her daughter in mind

Published

on

Each mile is for her miracle: This Granby mom is running the Boston Marathon with her daughter in mind


Boston Marathon

“With every mile I run, I will be thinking of her strength, her transplant journey, and the families who are walking similar paths right now.”

Brianna Poehler is running the 2026 Boston Marathon.
Brianna Poehler

In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon athletes share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. Looking for more race day content? Sign up for Boston.com’s pop-up Boston Marathon newsletter.


Name: Brianna Poehler

Advertisement

City/State: Granby, Mass.

I am running the 2026 Boston Marathon with Miles for Miracles in support of Boston Children’s Hospital. The Boston Marathon is deeply personal to me and my family. 

My daughter is a liver transplant survivor, and at just 11 months old, she received a life-saving liver transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital. 

What could have been the most devastating chapter of our lives became a story of hope, resilience, and extraordinary care because of the BCH team.

When our daughter was so small and so sick, the doctors, nurses, and staff at Boston Children’s carried us through the unimaginable. 

Advertisement

They combined world-class medical expertise with compassion that went far beyond treatment plans and hospital rooms. They cared for our daughter as if she were their own. They supported us as anxious, exhausted parents. They gave us answers when we had questions, and reassurance when we were overwhelmed. 

Most importantly, they gave our daughter a second chance at life.

Today, she is thriving because of that gift. Every milestone she reaches is a reminder of the miracle she received and the team that made it possible. Running the Boston Marathon is my way of honoring that gift and saying thank you in the most meaningful way I can.

The marathon is a test of endurance, determination, and heart — qualities I saw in my daughter during her fight and in the Boston Children’s team every single day. 

With every mile I run, I will be thinking of her strength, her transplant journey, and the families who are walking similar paths right now.

Advertisement

By running with Miles for Miracles, I hope to raise funds that will support groundbreaking research, life-saving treatments, and compassionate care for children like my daughter. This race is more than 26.2 miles — it is a celebration of survival, gratitude, and hope.

Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.

Sign up for our Boston Marathon newsletter

Get Boston Marathon registration information, start times, live runner tracking, road closures, live updates from race day, special features, and more.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Pittsburg, PA

Can Pittsburgh Handle an NFL Draft Crowd?

Published

on

Can Pittsburgh Handle an NFL Draft Crowd?


Along with the best football prospects the season has to offer, the NFL Draft promises to bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Pittsburgh from April 23 to 25.

If the turnout approaches that of Detroit in 2023, those descending on the North Shore and Downtown could reach 700,000 over the three days. For reference, that’s more than 10 times Acrisure Stadium’s 68,400 seats, and more than double the city’s roughly 308,000 residents.

Where will they stay? How will they get around?


Event planners at VisitPittsburgh say the city is up to the task.

Advertisement

“They picked us out of several cities because we have the infrastructure,” said Perry Ivery, general manager of the Oaklander Hotel and board chair of VisitPittsburgh.

Last year, Wisconsin’s Green Bay comfortably accommodated a unique visitor count three times its 106,000 population, according to residents and local leaders.

Rooms Enough?

Ivery said there are some 26,000 hotel rooms across the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, the bulk of which are concentrated in and around Downtown.

Even if each room holds two to four people, the total still appears to fall short. But Ivery said many attendees will be locals, whether from Pittsburgh, surrounding counties or neighboring states within a day’s drive.

Advertisement

Plus, a high proportion of out-of-town guests could have Pittsburgh roots and a free bed to claim in a family home, he added.

There are also around 3,500 units available for short-term rental in and around Pittsburgh through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.

“We’re all working together to make sure everybody has a great hospitality experience in the City of Pittsburgh,” Ivery said.

Infrastructure from roads to parking, and bus and light rail routes, will also feel the strain.

Strain on the Train?

Pittsburgh Regional Transit normally services around 100,000 riders on an average weekday, across its entire network. Spokesperson Adam Brandolph said the agency is prepared for the transit demands of what’s expected to be the biggest event the city has hosted.

Advertisement

“We’re confident that we’ll be able to meet the needs of visitors to the draft as well as daily riders,” he said, noting “no major closures or detours” are planned for the event other than the University Line project, which may see less construction during that week.

Brandolph said the agency is finalizing plans and intends to make more information public soon.

A spokesperson for VisitPittsburgh said a local committee is working with a range of stakeholders including transportation agencies, engineering partners and local government “to deliver a coordinated and comprehensive plan for the region.”

“This includes collaboration with public transit agencies on adjusted service plans, clearly marked detour routes, designated rideshare zones and proactive communication with residents, businesses and commuters,” said Alex Kenzakoski, communications director for VisitPittsburgh.

“Our shared goal is to minimize disruption, keep the region moving and make travel as predictable and seamless as possible for both fans and locals.”

Advertisement

Kenzakoski said details on road closures, transit adjustments and travel guidance will be made known ahead of the draft, and encouraged fans to download the NFL OnePass app for transportation information and updates.

Ivery said a successful draft week execution could line Pittsburgh up for future hosting prospects.

“There’re going to be folks that come in that have never been to Pittsburgh … This is a case to showcase our town, and our hotels,” he said.

“We’re friendly, we have grit, we’re very excited to showcase that we can do large-scale activities.”

This story first appeared in Pittsburgh’s Public Source. Read the original here.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Trending