An investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to federal charges unsealed against two dozen leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios gang — a violent transnational criminal organization.
An ICE Homeland Security Investigations-led task force arrested eight alleged gang members early February 19, and 22 individuals have been charged with federal offences, including racketeering conspiracy, in connection with six murders and 11 attempted murders.
Two individuals, who were juveniles at the time of the alleged criminal offences, have been charged by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office with murder.
The charges are the result of a multijurisdictional investigation that began in the aftermath of four murders and a series of attempted murders and shootings that took place in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 2023, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios criminal enterprise.
According to court documents, Chapters of the Trinitarios were identified in Lawrence, Lynn, Boston and Haverhill. Trinitarios members in these cities allegedly undertake efforts to dominate their communities by intimidating rival gangs and establishing control over certain neighbourhoods.
It is further alleged that the Trinitarios do not hesitate to use violence, including murder, to further the organization’s goals and purposes.
According to the charging document, these gang rivalries develop through personal enmity and disrespect between members of the rival gangs, competition over drug territory and customers, as well as violent acts (such as robberies, shootings and murders) that the gangs against each other have committed in the past. It is alleged that these rivalries have become Trinitarios gang members who have committed deadly and multiple murders.
Specifically, ICE HSI’s investigation allegedly identified that the Massachusetts Trinitarios have committed at least 10 homicides in Essex County over the past decade and are believed to be responsible for numerous attempted murders, shootings, kidnappings and robberies.
Sixteen members of the Trinitarios criminal enterprise in Massachusetts have been charged with six of these murders — two of which took place in Lawrence in 2017 and two double murders in Lynn in 2023. The remaining four homicides are being prosecuted by the Essex District Attorney’s Office.
According to the charging documents, the Trinitarios are a hierarchical criminal organisation with positions that are known to exist at the state and local chapter level, whose members adhere to a code of conduct. Enmanuel Paula-Cabral, aka “Nelfew,” aka “Gordo,” aka “Manny,” allegedly serves as the State Supreme of the Trinitarios for Massachusetts, responsible for the entirety of the gang’s criminal activities, coordination with other state leaders and communication with the leadership of the Trinitarios in the Dominican Republic.
Paula-Cabral is also allegedly responsible for the Trinitarios Chapter operating in Manchester, New Hampshire as well as the Trinitarios located in Maine, where the gang operates a lucrative drug trade. Below the Supreme is a position referred to as the “Flag” or “Segundo,” which in Massachusetts is allegedly held by Ery Jordani Rosario, aka “Racacha.”
The Massachusetts Trinitarios allegedly recruit new members among communities of legal immigrants and illegal aliens from the Dominican Republic — specifically juveniles in local high schools in Lawrence and Lynn. To curry favour with these new recruits, the Trinitarios allegedly appeal to their shared Spanish language and culture, Dominican patriotism and use the appearance of prosperity and brotherhood.
It is further alleged that members are generally initiated into the gang after a period of observation or probation and are often inducted following the completion of a “mission” — which is generally a substantial act of violence such as shootings, beatings, or fist fights with rival gang members that were the same age or stature.
According to the court documents, upon induction, new members are formally “blessed” into the organization during a formal ceremony, are administered oaths by the State Supreme and are awarded with ceremonial beaded necklaces.
Younger members are allegedly tasked with lesser roles during many violent “missions,” including standing lookout during a shooting, holding or concealing weapons on behalf of full members and transporting weapons after their use in shootings.
According to the charging documents, the Trinitarios endeavour to project power over the internet and social media, allegedly producing music and music videos featuring members in Trinitarios colours and clothing holding weapons, cash and other items, as well as lyrics that boast about violence, drugs and other criminal endeavours as warnings and threats to other rival gangs.
The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act conspiracy) provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
