Mass. leader of drug trafficking organization sentenced to prison
BOSTON (WWLP) – A Brockton man operating as the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization was sentenced to prison for multiple federal drug charges.
Charging documents stated that from at least January 2021 through November 2021, 27-year-old Giovanni Pina of Brockton was one of the leaders of a drug trafficking conspiracy operating around the South Shore area of Massachusetts. The organization was identified as a distributor of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine.
Police investigating possible armed home invasion in Greenfield, suspect in custody
Law enforcement investigating the organization identified a 'stash house' in Weymouth, and in January 2021, officers executed a search warrant at the location. They found extensive drug paraphernalia, two kilo presses, over 10 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and cocaine, three firearms, ammunition, two high-capacity magazines, and a speed loader.
The charging documents further stated that Pina was found to operate multiple other stash locations after the Weymouth house was dismantled.
In January and February 2023, Pina also participated in multiple recorded drug deals with a cooperating witness. Two of the drug deals took place in the presence of a minor. On January 12, 2023, in Brockton, Pina sold the witness a box of pills containing over 2,000 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine. On January 25, 2023, Pina sold another large box of pills to the witness in a vehicle in Taunton, consisting of over 2,500 grams of a mixture of methamphetamine.
Giovanni Pina was charged with:
Possessing with Intent to Distribute and Distributing 500 grams and more of Methamphetamine
Distributing and Possessing with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine on Premises where a Minor was Present and/or Resided
Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or more of Fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a Fentanyl Analogue, and 500 grams or more of Cocaine
On Friday, Pina was sentenced in federal court in Boston to 138 months (11 years and six months) in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $250,000.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
$4 million drug bust turns heads on I-70
GEARY COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — What started as a routine traffic stop on Interstate 70 turned into one of the biggest drug busts Geary County has seen in years. During a two-day enforcement blitz on June 1 and 2, law enforcement agencies from across the region joined forces to target criminal activity along the busy interstate. And on the evening of June 2, that collaboration paid off in a big way, officials say. Kansas Firefighters Museum statue hit, damaged by car A commercial truck was pulled over near mile marker 302 for minor traffic violations. But something didn't sit right with deputies, so they called in a K9 unit. The result? A jaw-dropping discovery: over 3,200 pounds of marijuana and 260 pounds of cocaine, hidden inside the trailer. The estimated street value? A staggering $4 million. 'This operation shows what's possible when agencies work together,' Geary County Sheriff Nate Boeckman said in a statement. The DEA is now assisting with the investigation. Two suspects from California were taken into custody and are each being held on a $500,000 bond. KSN does not name individuals believed to be connected to a crime unless formal charges have been filed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Jane' gives tearful testimony about 'hotel nights' at Diddy's direction
A former girlfriend of Diddy's going by the pseudonym 'Jane' wept on the witness stand today as she described drug-induced sexual encounters with male escorts while she traveled the world with the music mogul. The marathon sex sessions, described by her as 'hotel nights' and similar to 'freak offs,' were organized at Diddy's direction, could last multiple days, and involved drugs and baby oil, she said. Through tears, she testified that she didn't know why she couldn't outright tell Diddy to stop and that he would give her 'multiple doses' of ecstasy per night to keep her awake. On her birthday in Miami in 2023, she testified, she had sex with multiple men as Diddy watched. Jane previously testified that Diddy was paying her rent and reiterated today that he continues to. She is one of four accusers referred to in the government's indictment that alleges Diddy ran his business empire as a criminal enterprise and exploited the women through his financial support. 'It's true that at any moment he could just do that if he wanted to,' Jane testified, 'cut me off.' 🔎 The view from inside By Adam Reiss and Jing Feng Diddy sat with his hands clasped in front of him as Jane testified, while attorneys for both the prosecution and defense appeared riveted by her on the stand. Diddy's demeanor is in the spotlight after Judge Arun Subramanian yesterday scolded his defense team for allowing him to make facial expressions toward the jury. Subramanian said it was 'absolutely unacceptable' and warned that if it happens again, he may remove Diddy from the courtroom. In other news: An attorney for Jane complained to Subramanian that media outlets are trying to expose her identity. The attorney accused the outlets of livestreaming and posting related articles, and asked the court to 'stop these attempts to violate the court's order' not to name her. The judge said he would consider issuing a media gag order if someone is found to have violated the rules. 🗓️ What's next Next week: Jane is expected to return for more questioning by the prosecution before the defense begins its cross-examination. PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧 This article was originally published on
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hate crime or neighborhood feud? Everything we know so far about Jonathan Joss's killing
Jonathan Joss's struggles didn't begin when he was shot Sunday night. In the midst of a years-long feud with the man accused of killing him, the actor was self-admittedly dealing with the loss of his house and pets, financial hardships, and substance abuse. These problems are all too present in LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities and were particularly felt by Joss toward the end of his life. Keep up with the latest in + news and politics. "As we reflect on the recent coverage surrounding Jonathan's final days, we carry this ache like a stone in our chest," the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions said in a statement. "Public reports describing his distress are heartbreaking, not because they define who he was, but because they point to a more profound crisis that is all too familiar in Native communities: the unspoken, underserved, and ongoing struggle with mental hardship and lateral violence." While the circumstances surrounding his shooting are complicated, one thing remains clear — Joss's death is a tragedy that has deeply impacted queer and Native circles. Here's everything we know about Joss's killing and the events leading up to it. Fox/NBC John Redcorn on 'King of the Hill'; Chief Ken Hotate on 'Parks and Rec' Jonathan Joss, 59, was an out gay Indigenous actor of Apache and Comanche heritage known for his roles in Fox's animated series King of the Hill and NBC's sitcom Parks and Recreation. Joss voiced John Redcorn, a Native American masseur and healer, on King of the Hill, and portrayed Ken Hotate, a Native American chief, on Parks and Recreation. He had reportedly already recorded some of his lines for the upcoming King of the Hill reboot, which will be available in August on Hulu. Joss married his partner, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, 32, on Valentine's Day of this year. The couple had been living in Joss's childhood home in San Antonio, Texas — which his father built for his mother in 1957 — for several years before his death. Joss struggled with addiction throughout his life and had been open about spending time in mental health treatment. He said on the Bwaaa! The King of the Hill Podcast that he was not sober. Recorded one day before his death, the episode would become his last interview. "I've already lost everything. My house burnt down. I ain't going to give up drugs. I ain't going to give up drinking. They're my friends," he said. - YouTube Joss's home burned down in January, resulting in the deaths of his and Kern de Gonzales's three dogs. The couple had been staying in a hotel due to electricity issues after the home was vandalized but returned regularly to take care of the dogs. Upon returning one afternoon, Joss found a blaze had consumed the house. Joss said that he had been using a propane tank inside the house for heat but that he had turned it off before he left. He and Kern de Gonzales soon after launched a GoFundMe to help with their living expenses. "This is a house I grew up in. I'm more concerned about my dog that died, but you know what? The good Lord will protect us,' Joss told local outlet KSAT at the time. 'Mistakes happen, man. And it's my fault for, I guess, leaving something on. Or if somebody came in and did something, who knows?' Joss was often candid on social media about their financial struggles, offering Cameos to earn revenue. He denied a rumor that he started the fire for insurance money, telling the the Bwaaa! podcast hosts that he would never kill his dogs. "My closest friend said, 'Jonathan, we know you set that fire. ... We know you did it for money,'" Joss said. "I said, 'Guys, my dogs ... were there. I would never hurt my dogs. ... I would never light my dogs on fire.'" - YouTube Just two days before his death, Joss interrupted a King of the Hill reunion panel by claiming the fire that destroyed his house was a deliberate act of arson against him because of his sexual orientation. Joss was not invited to the panel, which was meant to be a small gathering of he main cast, but attended in the audience. When one of the actors said of Joss, "We love our guy, Johnny, and so sad he's not here," he revealed himself in the crowd and took a microphone meant for fan questions. 'You were talking about Johnny, and I want to say something about him,' the panel moderator from Variety recalled him saying. 'Our house burnt down three months ago. Because I'm gay." Joss explained the moment on Bwaaa!, saying that he did not initially intend to interrupt the panel but spoke up in the heat of the moment. "The worst thing about not existing in the world is someone ignoring you when they have taken from your culture," he said. Jonathan Joss Kern de Gonzales revealed in a Facebook post that he and Joss were "involved in a shooting" when they returned to the site of their former home to check the mail. He claimed that the fire and the shooting occurred "after over two years of threats from people in the area who repeatedly told us they would set it on fire" and that despite reporting the threats to law enforcement multiple times, "nothing was done." "When we returned to the site to check our mail we discovered the skull of one of our dogs and its harness placed in clear view," Kern de Gonzales wrote. "This caused both of us severe emotional distress. We began yelling and crying in response to the pain of what we saw. While we were doing this a man approached us. He started yelling violent homophobic slurs at us. He then raised a gun from his lap and fired." "Jonathan and I had no weapons. We were not threatening anyone. We were grieving," he continued. "We were standing side by side. When the man fired Jonathan pushed me out of the way. He saved my life." - YouTube Kern de Gonzales later told NBC that he and Joss, after seeing their dead dog's skull placed in front of their burnt down home, believed it to be a message from their neighbors taunting them. In anger, Joss began shouting and walking back and forth in the street with a pitchfork. One neighbor shared a video with KSAT that shows Joss walking with the pitchfork and yelling about half an hour before his death. 'I knew something was going to happen. I wanted to call the police, but he hadn't done anything," she said. Kern de Gonzales said the suspect pulled up in his car several minutes after Joss had returned to his side. Kern de Gonzales said the man called him and his husband "jotos," a Spanish slur for gay people, before shooting Joss. 'I could give two fucks less if me or my husband had 50 pitchforks in every orifice of our body rolling up and down that street like tumbleweed," Kern de Gonzales said. "It don't matter." Bexar County Sheriff's Office via Getty Images Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez's mug shot Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez, 56, was arrested and charged with murder in connection with Joss's killing, telling officers as he was being detained "I shot him," according to the police report. The two neighbors had reportedly been feuding for over a year, with law enforcement frequently being called to Joss's residence to settle their disputes. Alvarez told police in June 2024 that Joss approached his house with a crossbow while calling him racial slurs, though Joss claimed that he walked over to "talk about their dogs fighting with each other." Upon searching Joss's house, officers found a crossbow and confiscated it. Joss accused Alvarez of being the one who burned his home down in January, according to a separate police report via NBC. The officer taking the report wrote, "I have classified this fire to be undetermined in nature at this time but cannot rule out human involvement intentional or unintentional." Alvarez posted his $200,000 bond Monday night, a Bexar County court spokesperson told Yahoo News. He is now under house arrest, during which he is subject to random drug testing and is not allowed to access firearms. NBC Jonathan Joss Multiple neighbors have said that Joss often spoke loudly and behaved erratically but that no violent confrontations had occurred until he was shot. One woman said that Joss and Alvarez would often fire guns on their own property, but never at each other. 'I've been here six years and when we moved in, it was already going on, so it's just been years of feud with these two,' she told the New York Post. 'I'm not taking nobody's side because I do have reports on both of them, but nothing got done. This man should be alive today, but nothing got done.' The neighbor who took the video of Joss with the pitchfork also said that he "was always yelling at the top of his lungs." She explained, "He would say that all the children on this street were going to die, and that we were all going to go to hell because we're sinners and God is on his side.' Another neighbor told San Antonio TV station WOAI that she had seen Joss outside minutes before his death and that he seemed upset about something. She said that he and his husband "had been repeatedly harassed because they were gay and their home was burned down after years of threats from neighbors." The San Antonio Police Department released a statement shortly after Joss's death claiming it had uncovered "no evidence" to suggest that the killing was a hate crime, which his husband's statement contested. The department later retracted its comments. Police Chief William McManus walked back the statement at a press conference Thursday while also apologizing to the LGBTQ+ community for dismissing their concerns, saying "it was way too early in the process for any statement of that nature to be issued." "We understand that many in the LBGTQ+ [sic] community are feeling anxious and concerned," McManus said. "A lot of that has to do with that premature statement that we released, and again, I own that. We shouldn't have done it. The loss of Jonathan Joss was tragic and most heavily felt by the LBGTQ+ [sic] community." McManus also clarified that the police department doesn't charge hate crimes in Texas. Instead, police "gather the facts and we give those facts to the district attorney's office; then that hate-crime designation is determined at sentencing." Kern de Gonzales had asserted in his Facebook post that throughout their time living at Joss's family home as a couple, they "were harassed regularly by individuals who made it clear they did not accept our relationship. Much of the harassment was openly homophobic." "He was murdered by someone who could not stand the sight of two men loving each other," he said. Screenshot from @prattprattpratt on Instagram Chris Pratt tribute to Jonathan Joss Several of Joss's colleagues from King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation have posted messages mourning the actor. The official social media accounts for the shows have also posted tributes. King of the Hill creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels and current showrunner Saladin Patterson released a statement on the show's Instagram page saying that "his voice will be missed at King of the Hill, and we extend our deepest condolences to Jonathan's friends and family." Toby Huss, who voiced Kahn Souphanousinphone and Cotton Hill on King of the Hill, wrote on Instagram Story in reaction to the news,"RIP old friend. Godspeed." Chris Pratt, who played Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation, also posted a message to his story, which read, "Damn. RIP Jonathan. Always such a kind dude. He played Ken Hotate in Parks and was also in Mag 7 [The Magnificent Seven]. Sad to see. Prayers up. Hug your loved ones." Nick Offerman, who played Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, told People that the cast had been texting about the news and were all "heartbroken." He added,"Jonathan was such a sweet guy and we loved having him as our Chief Ken Hotate. A terrible tragedy."