Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
Westyn Lantigua, a member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios gang, pleaded guilty on May 7 to racketeering conspiracy charges in federal court. The charges include his involvement in two murders and two attempted murders. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for August 12.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address violent gang activity and protect public safety. The prosecution is part of broader initiatives targeting organized crime groups that have been linked to violence and instability.
During the court proceeding, Lantigua admitted membership in the Trinitarios gang, which operates across the United States with a strict hierarchy and code of secrecy. Evidence presented included photographs and videos showing Lantigua wearing gang colors, making hand signs, and associating with other members. He also admitted participating in a June 2022 shooting outside a fast-food restaurant in Lynn where two innocent women were injured after he fired multiple rounds from an automatic firearm at their vehicle.
Investigators recovered images from Lantigua’s phones showing him with a fully automatic handgun around the time of the shooting as well as distribution quantities of drugs. He also took part in burglaries targeting convenience stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire; stolen lottery tickets were cashed shortly after thefts, sometimes captured on video.
Lantigua was arrested in February 2025 as part of Operation Paper Machetes—a multi-agency investigation following several homicides and shootings allegedly committed by Trinitarios members in Lynn during 2023. Other chapter members have also faced federal charges or received prison sentences over related crimes.
The charge carries up to life imprisonment, five years supervised release, and fines up to $250,000 under federal guidelines.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the plea along with representatives from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division, Essex County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, and Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard is prosecuting this case.
This prosecution forms part of both Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) operations—aimed at dismantling criminal cartels—and Operation Take Back America under Department of Justice direction to combat illegal immigration-linked crime syndicates nationwide.According to the official website, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts enforces federal laws through prosecutions involving national security threats and civil rights violations while advancing community initiatives on violence prevention across its offices statewide.
