BOSTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Massachusetts), published as received.

BOSTON – A member of the MS-13 gang who was an alleged leader of a local Massachusetts clique of MS-13 pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy charges.

Djavier Duggins, a/k/a “Haze,” 32, of Lynn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15, 2021.

MS-13, or La Mara Salvatrucha, is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. MS-13 members follow certain core rules and principles, including that members attack and attempt to kill members of rival gangs, and members do not act as informants or cooperate with law enforcement.

MS-13 is organized in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the form of so-called “cliques” or smaller groups that operate under the larger mantle of MS-13. Duggins was the alleged leader of the Sykos Locos Salvatrucha (Sykos) clique of MS-13. Achieving promotion in MS-13 generally requires the commission of a significant act of violence.

In November 2018, Duggins and five other MS-13 Sykos clique members were indicted following an investigation into the body of a teenage boy found in a park in Lynn on Aug. 2, 2018. The injuries to the victim’s body indicated that the victim had been stabbed dozens of times. Duggins, who is the alleged leader of the group, did not participate in that murder, but his five co-defendants did participate. Duggins, however, has a prior history of violence and was previously convicted of attempted murder in state court in 2012.

Duggins is the sixth and final defendant in this case to plead guilty to RICO conspiracy charges. The five other defendants previously pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, admitted to their participation in murder and are scheduled to be sentenced with Duggins on Dec. 15, 2021.

Duggins faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Acting Boston Police Commissioner Gregory Long; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy made the announcement.

The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.