A member of the East Side Money Gang has been sentenced for his involvement in a narcotics distribution conspiracy. Henry Del Rio, also known as "Junior," was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. This sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV.
Del Rio, aged 28 and from Chelsea, Massachusetts, had pleaded guilty in May 2024 to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. His arrest occurred in January 2023 alongside co-defendant Jose Perez.
In December 2022, an incident involving Perez led police officers on a high-speed chase through Lexington, Massachusetts. During this event, Perez crashed into another vehicle and lost control before colliding with a post. Upon exiting the vehicle, he dropped a loaded Glock 34X 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Both Perez and Del Rio fled on foot but were soon apprehended by law enforcement.
The investigation revealed approximately 63 grams of cocaine and a bag containing around 53 grams of fentanyl where Del Rio had fled. Additionally, another bag with about 49 grams of cocaine was found inside the vehicle.
At the time of these offenses, Del Rio was under federal supervised release following a five-year prison term for previous felony convictions related to drug and firearms offenses linked to the East Side Money Gang.
Jose Perez received his sentence in December 2024 after being convicted by a federal jury earlier that year in August. He was sentenced to 142 months in prison.
The announcement regarding these sentences was made by United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Boston Field Division. The case received assistance from several police departments including those from Lexington, Chelsea, MBTA Police Departments as well as Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Crowley and Sarah Hoefle prosecuted the case.