Page 10 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2022 MS-13 leader sentenced to 15 years in prison for RICO Conspiracy D javier Duggins, 32, of Lynn, the leader of a local MS-13 clique, was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to racketeering (RICO) conspiracy. MS-13 is organized into branches operating in local territories. Duggins was a “homeboy” (full member) of the MS-13 gang and the leader of the Sykos Locos Salvatrucha (Sykos) clique of MS-13 for nearly 10 years. Achieving promotion to “homeboy” in MS13 generally requires the commission of a significant act of violence, often including murder. As part of his leadership role, Duggins personally recruited, mentored and encouraged younger clique members to commit violence on behalf of MS-13. The evidence in this case showed that Duggins had been a leader of MS-13 since approximately 2006 and was part of the core group of MS13 members who helped build up the Sykos clique of MS-13 in Lynn. In 2012, Duggins and another member of the Sykos clique participated in an attempted murder during which Duggins stabbed a victim multiple times on a public street. For that crime, Duggins was prosecuted in state court for armed assault with intent to murder and other charges and was sentenced to 54 months in state prison. An investigation revealed that after Duggins was released from state prison in 2016 he went back to associating with MS-13 and helped codefendant Erick Lopez Flores recruit and mentor the next generation of the gang. For example, upon learning of a 2016 murder committed by codefendant Henri Salvador Gutierrez in East Boston, Duggins recruited Gutierrez to the Sykos clique and offered to promote him to a higher rank based on his prior violence. Duggins remained a leader of the Sykos clique in the years following his release from state prison in 2016. During his leadership, members of the Sykos clique continued to engage in racketeering activity and violence on behalf of MS-13. On July 30, 2018, six members of the Sykos clique participated in a horrific murder in Lynn where they lured a teenage victim to a playground pretending to be VOTE | FROM PAGE 1 emotional well-being. “These kids are begging to get these masks off. I can’t vote for extending it any longer,” she said. On February 9, Jeffrey Riley, commissioner of the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, announced that the statewide mask mandate would be lifted on February 28. However, each district would have the option of keeping the mandate. “During the past two years, the impact of COVID-19 on children has caused a strain on their mental health, emotional well-being and academic success,” Riley said in a written statement. “We are relieved to now be in a place where we can provide young people additional relief from COVID-19 restrictions so they can continue to return to normalcy in the classroom.” In accordance with federal orders, masks will continue to friendly with the unsuspecting victim. At the scene, the gang members surrounded the victim and repeatedly stabbed him to death. An autopsy revealed that the victim suffered at least 32 sharp force trauma wounds consistent with being stabbed repeatedly, along with blunt force injuries to the head. Although Duggins did not participate in the 2018 murder committed by other members of his clique, the Court noted his leadership role and his longstanding involvement in the gang as reasons to impose the 15-year sentence on Duggins. Following an investigation in November 2018, Duggins was indicted along with five MS-13 members who particbe required on school buses. ELYSARC Needs Assessment In other news, Kayla Mangan and Dom Washington, executive directors of the Everett LGBTQ+ Youth Space and Resource Center (ELYSARC), will be conducting a Needs Assessment at Everett High School. Mangan said high school students who are part of the city’s LGBTQ+ community are more susceptible to harm and harassment. This can easily lead to future problems with homelessness, addiction and mental health issues. “If we want to stop this problem from perpetuating in the future, we need to get to the root,” said Washington. “We want to be there; we want to be dynamic.” Mangan said a survey will be sent out to students and staff to compile quantitative data that will be used in focus groups. The final data will ulipated in the July 2018 murder in Lynn. In a related case, the government charged a juvenile coconspirator who was the sixth person involved in the Lynn murder. All six defendants indicted in this case, along with the juvenile charged in the related case, have pleaded guilty. Duggins is the fourth defendant to be sentenced. On Feb. 16, Henri Salvador Gutierrez was sentenced to life in prison. On Feb. 14, Erick Lopez Flores was sentenced to 40 years in prison. On Feb. 15, Jonathan Tercero Yanes was sentenced to 33 years in prison. Sentencing hearings for the two remaining codefendants, Eliseo Vaquerano Canas and Marlos Reyes have not yet been scheduled. timately be used to create a data narrative. In addition to Everett High School, the ELYSARC is working with Saugus Middle High School and with Susan B. Anthony Middle School in Revere. Security Update In the aftermath of the January lockdown at Everett High School, Tahiliani said American Alarm has installed 21 new security cameras throughout the building as well as 20 door alarms. These are all up and running and working right now,” she said. Tahiliani also said Navigate360 will be conducting full-day ALICE (active shooter response) training on April 19 and April 20. In addition, interviews remain ongoing to hire a security director. “We’re trying to come at this from several different angles,” said Tahiliani.
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