New Bedford Latin Kings Leader King Stutter Pleads Guilty wbsm.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wbsm.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
A New Bedford man who was a regional officer for the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation pleaded guilty Thursday to racketeering charges after admitting in court to his part in several instances of gang-related violence.
Michael Cotto, known as “King Gordo,” 26, once a member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Latin Kings, admitted to participating in the gang s illegal drug business and to committing a variety of violent acts. One such act was a February 2018 beating, known as a “termination,” of an associate suspected of cooperating with law enforcement. The victim was found by New Bedford Police bleeding from his injuries and transported to the hospital, according to a news release from the Office of U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.
A convicted New Bedford gang member who shot at rivals has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison as part of a federal law enforcement effort.
Luis Santiago, also known as “King Tiny,” 22, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In September, Santiago pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy.
Santiago is a former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, and admitted to his role in the shooting, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.