Crime & Safety

Worcester Bust Leads To Federal Charges For Men With Gang Ties

Six people from Worcester and one Framingham man were charged by Worcester police while six others are facing federal drug charges.

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The men facing federal charges have ties to a national street gang, according to the Office of U.S. Attorney Lelling.
The men facing federal charges have ties to a national street gang, according to the Office of U.S. Attorney Lelling. (Samantha Mercado/ Patch Staff)

WORCESTER, MA — Several people from Worcester as well as one Framingham man and a Rhode Island man, are facing drug charges, among other things. A joint, year-long operation between Worcester Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives netted seven arrests for people facing narcotics and firearms charges. Six other men were also charged in federal court with several narcotics, firearms and conspiracy offenses.

The men facing federal charges are suspected of having ties to a national gang and conspired to rob a high end glass pipe dealer in Rockland in March 2019, according to the Office of U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. Junior Melendez, Shaun Walker, and Keith Johnson, all of Worcester, conspired on the robbery, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Melendez is also facing conspiracy drug charges along with Angel Cordova, Juan Rodriguez, (both of Worcester) and Antoine Mack of Pawtucket, RI. Melendez is the suspected leader of the Massachusetts chapter of the Almighty Vice Lords street gang. Several of the men arrested also allegedly have ties to the gang, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

When the men were arrested, officials found five guns, 600 rounds of ammunition, approximately $10,000 cash as well as various amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine. The men are facing up to 20 years in prison.

Worcester police found seven guns and a significant amount of drugs and money while executing their search warrants, according to police.

The seven people arrested by Worcester police were charged with the following:

  • Robinson Vargas, 22, of 6 Greenview Street, Apt. 6, Framingham, MA was charged with Possession Ammunition without an FID Card.
  • Tyler Rawson, 25, of 69 Cutler Street, Apt. 2, Worcester was charged with Possession of Class B Substance with Intent to Dirstribute and Possession Ammunition without an FID Card.
  • Lujan Burgos, 26, of 69 Cutler Street, Apt. 2 was charged with Possession of Class E Substance with Intent to Distribute, Trafficking in Class B Substance (100-199 grams).
  • Lawrence Rutherford, 37, of 98 Greenhill Parkway was charged with two counts of Use of Firearm in a Felony, two counts of Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card, Possession of Class B Substance with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Class A Substance, Possession of Class C substance, Firearm Violation with 3 Prior Violent/Drug Crimes, and Possession of Ammunition without An FID Card.
  • Angela Rolon, 30, of 147 Perry Ave., Apt. 2A Worcester was charged with Improper Storage of a Firearm, Possession of Ammunition without An FID Card, Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card and Receiving Stolen Property over $1,200.
  • Roger Lewis, 29, of 10 Pattison Street, Apartment 3, was charged with Possession of Class B Substance with Intent to Distribute and Tampering with Record, Document or other Object for Use in Official Proceeding.
  • Pamela Lewis, 48, of 10 Pattison Street, Apartment 3, was charged with Possession of Class B Substance and Interfering with a Police Officer. Ms. Lewis also had an outstanding arrest warrant.

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