Member of North Shore Chapter of Latin Kings Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy Charges

 BOSTON – A member of the North Shore Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (“Latin Kings”) was sentenced today for drug conspiracy charges.

Henry Caribe a/k/a “King 40Cal,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release. In July 2020, Caribe pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. 

Caribe admitted that on seven occasions from January to March 2015, he and a co-conspirator distributed 78 grams of cocaine base to a cooperating witness during audio/video recorded transactions. At the time, Caribe was a member of the North Shore chapter of the Latin Kings. 

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury in Boston returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Caribe is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field 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. Attorney Philip A. Mallard and Mark Grady of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

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.

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.