Westyn Lantigua, a member of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios gang, pleaded guilty today to racketeering conspiracy, admitting his involvement in two attempted murders, including a machinegun shooting that injured two innocent women, and participation in convenience store burglaries.
Lantigua, 25, also known as “Wes” and “Muddy,” entered his plea in Boston to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, or RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Nathaniel M. Gorton has scheduled his sentencing for August 12, 2026. Lantigua was initially arrested and charged in February 2025.
During the court proceedings, Lantigua admitted his membership in the Trinitarios, a violent criminal enterprise with thousands of members across the United States. The gang operates with a Magna Carta and an internal hierarchy, maintaining secrecy. Evidence from the investigation, including photographs and videos, showed Lantigua wearing Trinitarios beaded necklaces, making gang signs, and associating with other members.
Lantigua confessed to his participation in a June 2022 shooting outside a fast-food restaurant in Lynn. He discharged numerous rounds from a fully automatic firearm at a gray vehicle he mistakenly believed was occupied by rival gang members. The vehicle, in fact, contained two innocent female victims who were both hit by gunfire but survived. The vehicle sustained 10 bullet holes, and officers recovered 15 9mm casings at the scene. His cellular phones also showed him possessing a fully automatic handgun around the time of the shooting and distribution quantities of drugs.
Additionally, Lantigua admitted to participating in the Trinitarios’ conspiracy to burglarize convenience stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Through these break-ins, the gang stole lottery tickets, which they would then cash in. Lantigua was captured on video redeeming stolen tickets with other Trinitarios members.
Lantigua is the tenth defendant to plead guilty in a broader multijurisdictional investigation dubbed “Operation Paper Machetes,” which unsealed federal racketeering charges against 22 Trinitarios leaders and members in February 2025. The racketeering conspiracy charge carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, along with officials from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, Essex County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, and Lynn Police, announced the plea. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative and Operation Take Back America, focusing on eliminating criminal cartels and transnational criminal organizations.