Joshua S. Levy, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
A member of the Boston-based gang H-Block has admitted guilt in federal court to charges related to drug conspiracies. Avery Lewis, also known as "Wave," aged 32 from Dorchester, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025, to two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun has set the sentencing for May 13, 2025.
Lewis was among ten H-Block members and associates charged in August 2024 after a multi-year investigation that began in 2021 due to increased gang-related drug trafficking and violence. The investigation led to the seizure of over 500 grams of cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and more than 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper.
According to charging documents, H-Block is considered one of Boston's most feared gangs. It originated in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in Roxbury and re-emerged as H-Block in the 2000s. Members have a history of violent confrontations with law enforcement, including a notable incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer.
Lewis was identified as a long-time member and street-level dealer within H-Block who sold cocaine multiple times to an undercover officer and coordinated other criminal activities with fellow gang members. His criminal record includes a conviction for possessing cocaine in 2017 and unlawfully possessing a firearm in 2013.
The charges against Lewis carry potential sentences of up to 20 years imprisonment per count, at least three years up to life on supervised release, and fines reaching $1 million. Sentences are determined by federal district court judges based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced this development alongside officials from various law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation: Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Stephen Belleau from the DEA; Andrew Murphy from the U.S. Secret Service; Jodi Cohen from the FBI; Jonathan Mellone from the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General; Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and police departments from Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, and Watertown.
Assistant United States Attorneys John T. Dawley and Jeremy Franker are prosecuting these cases under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which aims to dismantle high-level criminal organizations threatening national security through coordinated efforts.
It is important to note that details within charging documents remain allegations until proven otherwise beyond reasonable doubt for any remaining defendants.
