SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Hampden District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday an investigation led by the new SAFE Unit which resulted in 15 men arrested for drugs and illegal guns.

According to the office of the Hampden District Attorney, the SAFE Unit has been investigating the Knox Street Posse in Springfield for several months. According to DA Anthony Gulluni, this gang is considered the most violent gang currently operating in western Massachusetts. Information gathered by investigators determined the gang is engaged in “street wars” with other rival gangs. The Knox Street Posse is known for trafficking firearms, and distributing narcotics throughout western New England, mostly in Hampden County and southern Vermont.

The investigation resulted in 15 gang members and associates being arrested over the past several months. In total, 20 firearms, 100,000 bags of heroin, approximately 2.8 kilograms of cocaine and $70,000 in cash were seized. The DA Office says 11 of the people arrested are currently being held in accordance to the state’s dangerousness statute, with one held on $100,000 cash bail.

“Along the most notable arrests are the Garcia brothers. The Garcia brothers led the Knox Street Posse. All are now charged with serious crimes for which they are held by the state’s dangerousness statue for a minimum of 120 days,” said Gulluni.

“Because of the hard work and cooperation among all the law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, we seriously impacted their illegal activates and stopped the fear they brought to their neighborhoods,” said Kenneth Kwak, Special Agent from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

The following people have been arrested and charged during the investigation:

Joseph McLeod, 23, is currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Operating a MV with suspended license
• Possession with intent to distribute class a (heroin)
• Possession with intent to distribute class b (cocaine)
• Possession with intent to distribute class d (marijuana)
• Carrying a loaded firearm
• Possession of a firearm without FID card
• Possession of a large capacity firearm
• Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony

Jeremy Garcia, 22, is currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Carrying a firearm (subsequent offense)
• Carrying a loaded firearm
• Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
• Firearm violation with 1 prior violent/drug crime
• Possession of a large capacity firearm
• Trafficking in cocaine 36-100 grams
• Trafficking in heroin
• Operating a motor vehicle with suspended license

Austin Garcia, 24, currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Carrying a firearm (subsequent offense)
• Carrying a loaded firearm
• Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
• Firearm violation with 1 prior violent/drug crime
• Possession of a large capacity firearm
• Trafficking in cocaine 36-100 grams
• Hampden Superior Court warrant for firearm violations

Justin Garcia, 30, currently held on dangerousness and charged with: 

• Carrying a firearm without FID card
• Carrying a high capacity firearm while in commission of a felony
• Carrying a loaded firearm
• Trafficking in class b substance (cocaine) over 200 grams
• Trafficking in class a substance (heroin) 100-200 grams
• Possession of a firearm without FID card (six counts)
• Possession of a high capacity feeding device (five counts)
• Possession of ammunition
• Improper storage of a firearm(s) (children ages 3 and 7 present)
• Receiving stolen property under $1200 (Glock firearm)

Jonathan Martinez, 35, currently held on dangerousness for a federal probation warrant. Additional charges are forthcoming based on his alleged involvement in two recent shootings.  

Nathan Mercado, 28, currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Carrying a firearm without a license (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm without an FID card (two counts)
• Receiving stolen property under $250
• Assault & battery on a police officer
• Resisting arrest

Nathaniel Palmer, 30, was released on $3,000 bail and his next court date is on August 24, 2021. He was arrested and originally held on a default warrant from an arrest on April 10, 2018. He was charged with:

• Possession of firearm without an FD card
• Carrying a firearm with ammunition
• Possession of class d substance

Dwight Clark, 23, currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Carrying a firearm without a license (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm without an fid card (two counts)
• Receiving stolen property under $250 (two counts)

Omar Harris, 38, currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Trafficking in class b substance (over 200 grams)
• Assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (motor vehicle-2 counts)
• Operating a motor vehicle suspended license
• Failure to stop for police
• Operating to endanger

Justin Crawford, 24, currently held on dangerousness and charged with: 

• Possession/carrying a firearm (three counts)
• Possession of a large capacity weapon or feeding device (two counts)
• Carrying a loaded firearm (three counts)
• Possession of a large capacity firearm while in commission of a felony (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
• Possession of ammunition without FID card (three counts)
• Trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams
• Trafficking in cocaine 36-100 grams
• Trafficking in heroin 36-100
• Receiving stolen property under $1200 (Glock firearm)

Kiernan Perkins, 21, currently held on dangerousness and charged with: 

• Possession/carrying a firearm (three counts)
• Possession of a large capacity weapon or feeding device (two counts)
• Carrying a loaded firearm (three counts)
• Possession of a large capacity firearm while in commission of a felony (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
• Possession of ammunition without FID card (three counts)
• Trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams
• Trafficking in cocaine 36-100 grams
• Trafficking in heroin 36-100
• Receiving stolen property under $1200 (Glock firearm)

Luciano Bigelow, 22, bail was set at $10,000. His next scheduled court date is on July, 22. He is charged with:

• Possession/carrying a firearm (three counts)
• Possession of a large capacity weapon or feeding device (two counts)
• Carrying a loaded firearm (three counts)
• Possession of a large cap. firearm while in commission of a felony (two counts)
• Possession of a firearm in commission of a felony
• Possession of ammunition without fid card (three counts)
• Trafficking in cocaine over 200 grams
• Trafficking in cocaine 36-100 grams
• Trafficking in heroin 36-100
• Receiving stolen property under $1200 (Glock firearm)

Juan Romero, 33, currently held on $100,000 bail and charged with:  

• Trafficking in class b substance-cocaine (over 200 grams)
• Trafficking in class b substance-cocaine (18-36 grams)
• Possession of a high capacity feeding device
• Carrying a firearm while in commission of a felony
• Possession of ammunition without FID card
• Possession class b substance with intent to distribute (oxycodone)

Tyre Shakespeare, 19, currently held on an outstanding warrant for violation of pre-trial probation. He is charged with: 

• Home invasion
• Discharge firearm within 500 feet of building
• Larceny under $1200
• Carrying firearm without a license
• Home invasion
• Assault to murder
• Malicious damage motor vehicle, home invasion.

Joshua Santiago, 23, currently held on dangerousness and charged with:

• Carrying a firearm without an fid card
• Carrying a high capacity firearm while in commission of a felony
• Carrying a high capacity loaded firearm
• Possession of a high capacity feeding device (two counts)
• Possession class a substance with intent to distribute (heroin)
• Possession of ammunition
• Trafficking in class a (heroin) over 200 grams (two counts)

The SAFE unit was announced earlier this year by the Hampden Count District Attorney’s Office. The group is comprised of officers from Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Homeland Security Investigations, Massachusetts National Guard, Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, and Holyoke, West Springfield, and East Longmeadow Police Departments. The unit focuses on individuals known as members of violent crimes and gang activity.

“Everyone deserves a safe neighborhood, a quiet street, and a secure home to live and raise a family. The vast majority of people in every neighborhood across this county are law-abiding people who just want safety and peace for themselves and their families. However, the lion’s share of serious street violence in this region is committed at the hands of only a few. There are a small number of individuals who are intent on violence, serious crime, and destruction. We realized that if law enforcement was able to focus on this small population of highly violent offenders, assaults, shootings, and murder would decrease. The Strategic Action & Focused Enforcement Unit (SAFE) is a full-time, permanent unit that works out of the Hampden District Attorney’s Office and includes federal, state, and local law enforcement. SAFE has a singular goal to promote safer streets, safer neighborhoods, and safer communities across Hampden County.”

DA Anthony Gulluni

“We are proud to play a part on District Attorney Anthony Gulluni’s Strategic Action and Focused Enforcement (SAFE) Unit and in this operation, we were able to create a significant disruption to gang activity in the City of Springfield. By pairing up our jail-based intelligence with street intelligence from the task force members, we get better results. And when law enforcement agencies work together for the public good, we make our community a safer place, which is what it’s all about” said Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi.