Crime

Four Alleged Haverhill Gang Members Tied to Murders, Drugs and More

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Four Haverhill men were listed Tuesday among 26 leaders, members and associates of the Trinitarios gang indicted on federal racketeering, conspiracy and drug trafficking charges tied to five murders and 19 attempted murders going back to 2017. The alleged Haverhill residents are Justane Garcia, Richard Pena and Hector Mota, all listed as “members,” and Jean Delgado, listed as “associate.”

Besides the Haverhill residents, there are 19 from Lawrence and three from Boston. They join eight previously charged gang members who are facing the same charges. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley’s office said a total of 56 people have been charged over the past two years, including seven foreign nationals who have either been deported or are currently in deportation proceedings. The grand jury indictments stem from investigation that began in 2024 in the aftermath of four murders and a series of attempted murders and shootings in Lynn, allegedly committed by the Trinitarios.

Crime

Judge Sends Plaistow Man, 34, to Prison for 4 Years for Illegal Gun Ownership

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A 34-year-old Plaistow, N.H., man was sentenced Monday to four years in prison for possessing two firearms after he was barred from owning them because of a previous drug felony conviction. Jonathan Balamotis, who previously pleaded guilty last February, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Samantha Elliott, who also ordered three years of supervision when he completes his prison time. “Despite being a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, the defendant chose to disregard the law and is now being held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent-in-Charge Thomas Greco added, “ATF enforcement operations prioritize habitual offenders. A recidivist who seeks out a firearm poses an immediate and obvious danger to public safety.”

While conducting another investigation, court records show, Plaistow Police and ATF agents learned Balamotis attempted to purchase a gun June 25, 2025.

Crime

Lawrence Man, 21, in Court Today for Alleged Saturday Murder

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A 21-year-old Lawrence man is expected to be arraigned today for the alleged, early Saturday murder of an unnamed woman. According to Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office, Tyler Halley was charged with murder and will be arraigned in Lawrence District Court. The district attorney’s office said Lawrence Police received a 911 call Saturday, May 23, at about 3:18 a.m., and were dispatched to an apartment at 240 Canal St. They found a woman suffering from a severe head wound. The “unresponsive” woman was taken to Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital and, shortly after arriving, was pronounced dead.

Crime

Judge Orders 44-Year-Old Man with Haverhill Ties Held on Drug, Gun Charges

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Joseph M. Hurley Jr., who was previously linked in court to a man who died in Haverhill police custody last summer, was arraigned Wednesday in Haverhill District Court on several gun and drugs charges and is being held in the Essex House of Correction in Middleton. Judge Cesar A. Archilla also revoked 44-year-old Hurley’s bail on another drug case pending in Essex County Superior Court. Haverhill Police arrested Hurley Tuesday afternoon after, what they called, a lengthy investigation that included several controlled “buys” from Hurley and surveillance of two homes in the city. Police said they found Hurley outside an Ashworth Terrace home after watching him leaving an apartment on Washington Avenue. A police report notes they found him with $850 in cash and a key that opens a safe at the apartment.

Crime

Feds Allege Former Haverhill Man Stole $88K in Disability Benefits

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A former Haverhill man was charged in federal court in Boston with receiving about $88,000 in allegedly stolen Social Security disability benefits over a period of more than five years. Christopher D. Leon, now 56, was charged with receiving stolen government money or property. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Prosecutors say Leon received the benefits between November 2019 and August 2025. This past March, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to, what her office calls, “rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts.” The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as fraud coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of benefits.

Crime

Woman Accused of Running Methuen Drug ‘Stash’ House Pleads Guilty

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A 54-year-old woman, associated with a drug dealing “stash” house in Methuen, pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Donaida Gonzalez, also known as “Yijana Rodriguez,” has been held since being arrested during October of 2024. She was one of 10 people indicted at the time by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, namely, fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine and crack cocaine. U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan said Gonzalez helped run the “stash” house in Methuen, which was used to store and package drugs before sale. Gonzalez faces future sentencing in U.S. District Court in Concord, N.H.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security led the investigation with help from the Strafford County Sheriff’s Office and New Hampshire State Police.

Crime

Essex County Grand Jury Indicts Former Haverhill Man for Alleged Child Rape

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David F. Shanahan, the Dracut man charged with rape of a child while he was living in Haverhill, was recently indicted by an Essex County grand jury and his case was moved to Essex County Superior Court in Salem. In his last court appearance on Friday, May 1, Judge Salim Tabit entered a plea of not guilty, set bail at $500 cash, required Shanahan to wear a GPS tracking device, live at a Dracut residence and stay away from the school and church where the child attends. He was also ordered to have no unsupervised contact with children under 18 and not to coach youth sports. Tabit also gave him a daily curfew of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

As WHAV previously reported, Shanahan allegedly inappropriately touched the child while his now-ex-wife was a work, according to a Haverhill Police Department report. His ex-wife is the child’s grandmother and legal guardian.

Crime

Haverhill Man Faces Alleged Drug, Gun Crimes; Ties to Gigliotti, Who Died Last July

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A 44-year-old Haverhill man, previously linked in court to a man who died in police custody last summer, was arrested Tuesday on alleged drug dealing and firearms possession. Police said Joseph Hurley Jr. is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at Haverhill District Court on charges of trafficking cocaine, manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, unlawful possession of a firearm without required identification card, improper storage of a firearm and a firearm violation involving prior convictions. Following a lengthy investigation, according to a statement released by Haverhill acting Deputy Chief Meaghan Paré, Haverhill and Massachusetts State Police used two search warrants at separate residences in Haverhill before taking Hurley into custody. “During the searches, investigators recovered a substantial quantity of suspected cocaine, along with additional evidence consistent with drug distribution and manufacturing activity. Officers also seized a loaded firearm, a large-capacity magazine and other firearm-related items,” the statement said.