WORCESTER – A federal jury convicted three Worcester men, Junior Melendez, 41, Juan Rodriguez, 31 and Kevin Jean, 31, of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine on Wednesday, March 30.
According to federal prosecutors, law enforcement intercepted cell phone communications between March 2019 and June 2019 that revealed the three men conspired with Angel Cordova, Antoine Mack, Carlos Richards and others to buy and sell multiple kilograms of cocaine. Melendez and Rodriguez purchased powder cocaine from Cordova, cooked a portion of that powder cocaine into cocaine base, and then distributed the cocaine to their primary buyer, Richards in Manchester, New Hampshire. Jean and Mack frequently acted as their runners.
Mack previously pleaded guilty to drug charges and being a felon in possession of a firearm, previously pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 54 months in prison.
Cordova is scheduled to sentencing on May 26.
Melendez is allegedly the leader of the Massachusetts chapter of the Almighty Vice Lords street gang. He spent previously spent 109 months in federal prison for drug and firearms violations.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and cocaine base provides for a sentence of no greater than 40 years in prison. Melendez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years based on the volume of cocaine involved and his prior conviction.
