Press Release
Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Trafficking Multiple Guns, Ammunition, Cocaine and Fentanyl
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts
Convicted felon sold at least 16 guns, ammunition, a laser sight and drugs to a cooperating witness
BOSTON – A member of the Trinitarios street gang was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with trafficking firearms, ammunition, cocaine and fentanyl in the Greater Lawrence area.
Arismendy Gil-Padilla, a/k/a “Flow”, 32, of Methuen, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 11 years in prison and six years of supervised release. On Feb. 2, 2022, Gil-Padilla pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine.
Gil-Padilla was indicted in November 2019 as part of a federal sweep targeting federal and state offenders, including members and associates of the Trinitarios street gang, in the Greater Lawrence area.
The Trinitarios is a street gang originating in the New York area with increased presence in Lawrence and the surrounding communities. According to court documents, many Trinitarios members are involved in a broad range of illegal activities including, but not limited to, firearms and drug trafficking as well as violent crimes undertaken to protect the interests of the gang and its members.
During the investigation, Gil-Padilla was identified as a member of the Trinitarios. On eight separate occasions between April and August 2018, Gil-Padilla sold 16 guns (four of which were reported stolen), ammunition, cocaine and fentanyl to a cooperating witness. Specifically, Gil-Padilla sold a cooperating witness two handguns and ammunition for $1,800 and approximately 55.7 grams of cocaine hydrochloride for another $1,800; 28.1 grams of cocaine hydrochloride for $900 and seven guns, including one that was stolen and one with a large capacity magazine, for $5,340; and 48.7 grams of fentanyl for $1,100 and 55.9 grams of cocaine hydrochloride for $1,800. Gil-Padilla sold a cooperating witness seven additional firearms (three of which were stolen) and ammunition, a laser sight and 97.8 grams of fentanyl and 28 grams of cocaine over five separate occasions between April and May 2018. Gil-Padilla is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a 2014 conviction for distributing controlled substances that was punishable by more than one year in prison.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy P. Vasque made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit, prosecuted 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.
Updated May 31, 2022
Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses
Component