A Boston gang member has copped to a slew of charges, including racketeering and drug trafficking. Paulo Santos, 35, known on the streets as "Bucky," entered a guilty plea for his involvement with the notorious Cameron Street gang, rooted deep in the Dorchester area. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Santos is looking at a lengthy sentence come April 24.
Major drug hauls and loaded weapons lived with Santos, who manned a Hingham stash house, until the law caught up with him. When they did, authorities found about 900 grams of cocaine, enough marijuana to make your head spin, and a loaded Smith & Wesson revolver, besides over $15,000 in cash. Back in the day, Santos did time for firearms possession and now he's staring down the barrel of a possible 20 years in the slammer for the RICO charge, while the drug offense might tack on at least another five years, if not more.
The gang's notoriety for violence is no urban legend — these guys don't play. Court documents paint a picture of Cameron Street as a criminal brotherhood, wielding guns and throwing their weight around to bolster their rep and keep their turf to themselves. They're the same lot that jumped and robbed another gang member right outside the courthouse, which Santos himself boasted about online, according to authorities.
It's a big win for the feds and local law enforcement, who've been cracking down on high-level criminals slinging dope and laundering cash through the OCDETF Strike Force Initiative. The likes of Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, and Special Agents in Charge James M. Ferguson and Brian D. Boyle applauded the collar. They're not done yet, reminding us that these charges are just allegations, but if history's any indication their case against the remaining Cameron Street crew could be a hammer blow to the gang's operations in Boston.
