Woman Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy Charges

BOSTON – A woman who conspired with a member of the Fitchburg Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced yesterday for drug distribution charges.

Sophia Velasquez, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to time served (five days) in prison and three years of supervised release, with three months to be served in home confinement. On Feb. 4, 2021, Velasquez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Velasquez conspired with Dairon Rivera, a/k/a “King Mafia,” to sell 17 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in an audio/video recorded sale that took place in December 2017. 

Rivera pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of supervised release on April 1, 2021.

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. Velasquez is the 27^th defendant to be sentenced in the case.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction 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 prosecuted the case.

The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-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.