Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Luis Enrique Santana, also known as "Chiquito," pleaded guilty on April 10 to racketeering conspiracy charges related to his involvement in two murders and two attempted murders as a member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios gang. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for August 19.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address violent crime linked to organized gangs operating in Massachusetts and across the United States. Prosecutors say that such criminal organizations present a threat through coordinated acts of violence, secrecy, and attempts to evade law enforcement.
According to court documents, Santana admitted his membership in the Trinitarios gang and acknowledged participating in a March 2019 shooting intended to kill rival gang members. He also admitted acting as an accessory after the fact during a September 2023 incident where seven people were shot at a party in Lynn, resulting in two deaths. After this event, Santana helped move the vehicle used in the shooting from Lynn to Lawrence with the intent of concealing evidence from law enforcement.
Federal racketeering charges were first unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios following an investigation into several murders and shootings that occurred in Lynn during 2023. Since then, multiple members have been sentenced or pleaded guilty for their roles within the organization.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced that this prosecution is part of larger initiatives such as Operation Paper Machetes, Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), and Operation Take Back America—efforts aimed at dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human trafficking operations nationwide.
Santana faces up to life imprisonment if convicted under RICO conspiracy statutes; final sentencing will be determined based on federal guidelines.
