ES$G Member Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy

A Chelsea East Side Money gang member, known as “Superbad,” pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Boston to racketeering and drug trafficking charges.

Josue Rodriguez, a/k/a “SB,” a/k/a “Superbad,” 20, of Chelsea, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, commonly known as RICO, and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Sept. 13, 2017.

Rodriguez is a member of the East Side Money Gang (ESMG), a Chelsea-based street gang, which uses violence to further its criminal activities and enforce its internal rules. Specifically, ESMG uses violence to protect its members/associates, target rival gang members/associates and intimidate potential witnesses.

On July 5, 2015, Rodriguez ambushed a rival gang member walking down the street, shooting at him with a semi-automatic pistol, but did not hit him. On March 29, 2016, Rodriguez and another ESMG member agreed to provide a .22 caliber revolver to a third ESMG member so he could “spank” with it – meaning that he could use it against rivals of ESMG. On April 3, 2016, the third gang member used the revolver to attempt to murder two men believed to be members/associates of a rival gang. One of the targets was shot in the head.

On May 26, 2016, Rodriguez attempted to hide a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver used in a shooting, as well as spent and live shells after another ESMG member/associate attempted to shoot a rival gang member.

The East Side Money gang was also involved in drug trafficking, including cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin. Rodriguez conspired with other gang members and associates to distribute at least a kilo of cocaine and cocaine base. Rodriguez further admitted that he stored drugs at and distributed drugs from his home on Tudor Street in Chelsea, and that the gang maintained at least one firearm at the location.

Rodriguez is the 11th defendant of 66 alleged gang members/associates from the Greater Boston area, who were charged in June 2016 with federal firearm and drug offenses, to plead guilty.

According to court documents, the defendants, who are leaders, members, and associates of the 18th Street Gang, East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Gang, were responsible for fueling a gun and drug pipeline across a number of cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, the gangs created alliances in order to traffic weapons and drugs, including cocaine, crack, and heroin supplied though a Brockton-based drug network.

During the course of the investigation, more than 70 firearms were seized.

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