Andrew E. Lelling, United States Attorney
Contact: Christina DiIorio-Sterling
www.justice.gov/usao-ma
For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 6, 2019
Chelsea Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking
BOSTON – A Chelsea man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute.
Adres Perez, 26, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns. In December 2017, Perez was indicted along with Cesar Alicea, who was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charging documents allege that both men were members of the East Side Money Gang.
On Oct. 31, 2017, police in Revere observed what they believed was a drug deal happening from a car. The officers stopped the car, which was driven by Perez – with Alicea in the passenger seat –removed Perez from the car, and pat-frisked him. At the same time, Alicea ran from the car and threw an item, which was recovered and determined to be a .25 caliber Raven Arms pistol. Police later recovered crack cocaine from the car and heroin on Perez.
Alicea previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced in January 2019 to 48 months in prison.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran and Michael Crowley of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
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