Brockton Green Street gang leader 'now a federally convicted felon,' US attorney says

BROCKTON ― Placido Pereira, 36, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to fentanyl distribution and firearm-related charges Monday afternoon in federal court, according to a written statement from U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins' office.

Pereira pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl; three counts of distribution of fentanyl; one count of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and one count of possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, per the statement.

He, along with three co-conspirators, were indicted in November 2019. Pereira was a former Green Street gang leader, and the others involved were members of a Brockton drug crew known as the Head Shot Mafia, per the U.S. Attorney's Office.

“Mr. Pereira has had many previous encounters with the criminal legal system, yet continues to engage in illegal activity. Most recently, he distributed fentanyl — a deadly synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine — into the Brockton community and surrounding neighborhoods," Rollins said.

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And "although his criminal record strictly forbids him from doing so, Pereira possessed a firearm to further his drug trafficking activities," she continued.

“Pereira and his co-conspirators ran a drug trafficking enterprise that distributed deadly fentanyl in communities across southern Massachusetts, continuing the insidious expanse of the opioid crisis in our neighborhoods," Matthew Millhollin, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England, said.

In 2019, law enforcement began investigating the drug crew that was "distributing large quantities of fentanyl throughout southeastern Massachusetts," per the statement. Allegedly, the crew ran a fentanyl delivery service to Brockton and other neighboring cities.

According to the investigation, customers "placed orders for fentanyl by contacting a cellphone maintained and shared by crew members, which included Pereira, [and his co-conspirators] Djoy Defrancesco, Jason Miranda, and, allegedly, his brother Natalio Miranda, who worked together to deliver the fentanyl order."

In the fall months of that year, an undercover law enforcement operation made "six purchases of fentanyl from members of the crew," and in October 2019, a search of Pereria’s Brockton home resulted in the seizure of a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number, over $5,000 in cash, digital scales, marijuana packaged for sale and the cell phone used by members of the crew to distribute fentanyl, which led to his arrest, according to Rollins' office.

Pereira has a long rap sheet dating back to 2006. In 2010, court records show he was arrested on drug trafficking charges at Logan Airport as he returned to the United States from Cape Verde and was later sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base.

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In 2017, Pereira was again convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute marijuana and was sentenced to three years in prison. Over the years, Pereira was convicted for drug trafficking, gun possession and violent crimes.

"Now, he is a federally convicted felon,” Rollins said. “We will continue to target all necessary federal resources into combatting the flow of opioids and narcotics into our state and making sure those with a substance use disorder get the treatment they need.”

If charged with conspiracy to distribute and the distribution of fentanyl, Pereira can be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, along with three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. For the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, Pereira faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

He faces an additional mandatory minimum sentence of five years to life in prison, five years of supervised release and an additional fine of $250,000 for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

Finally, Pereira's charge of possession with intent to distribute marijuana provides for a maximum imprisonment of five years, two years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled Pereira's sentencing for April 5, 2023.

On Sept. 14, 2022, Jason Miranda, now 27, of Taunton pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18, 2023. Defrancesco, now 26, of Brockton was sentenced in June 2021 after previously pleading guilty.

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This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton Green Street Gang: Placido Pereira guilty on fentanyl charge