Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Lawrence man has been charged in federal court with possession of a machinegun. Derek Mercado, 20, is accused of possessing an UZI submachinegun and is currently in state custody on unrelated domestic violence charges.
Authorities allege that Mercado is a member of the Trinitarios gang, which law enforcement links to several violent crimes in Massachusetts. On May 6, 2025, after a report of domestic violence, police broadcast an alert for Mercado’s arrest. The victim told police that Mercado had a firearm in a green duffel bag. At the time, Mercado was already wanted on two other matters.
Law enforcement observed Mercado leaving a residence carrying what appeared to be the same green duffel bag. He was taken into custody, and officers recovered an Israel Military Industries UZI model submachinegun loaded with 24 rounds from the bag. The weapon was later test-fired and confirmed to be functional.
The complaint follows other recent charges against alleged Trinitarios members in Massachusetts. In August 2024, three individuals from the Lawrence Chapter were charged with armed robbery. In February 2025, nearly two dozen Lynn Chapter members were charged with six murders in Lynn and Lawrence. In June 2025, two more members faced kidnapping charges in Andover.
If convicted of possessing a machinegun, Mercado faces up to ten years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine as high as $250,000. Sentencing would be determined by a federal district court judge under federal guidelines.
"United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Haverhill Police Chief Robert Pistone made the announcement today." Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative that combines resources from various task forces such as OCDETFs and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) to address illegal immigration and violent crime by targeting transnational criminal organizations.
Authorities emphasize that all details are allegations at this stage: "The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
