Trinitarios gang member pleads guilty in U.S. shooting case

A 27-year-old alleged member of the Trinitarios gang has pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges stemming from his involvement in a deadly 2023 shooting in Lynn, Massachusetts. Kelvin Liranzo Roman, also known as "Whoopty," admitted his role in a conspiracy to manage the gang's affairs through a pattern of organized criminal activity, a violation of the RICO Act.

The shooting occurred on September 2, 2023, during a party celebrating high school graduations. Prosecutors stated that three Trinitarios members drove past the event and opened fire, killing 21-year-old Jandriel Heredia and 25-year-old Abraham Diaz, and wounding five others. Liranzo Roman acknowledged his membership in the gang and his complicity in the shooting.

Liranzo Roman is among 22 alleged Trinitarios members federally indicted in Massachusetts in February 2025. His guilty plea marks the twelfth admission of responsibility in this ongoing federal operation, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts.

Separately, state prosecutors in Essex County filed murder charges in September 2024 against six individuals for the same shooting. The federal case continues to advance, with Liranzo Roman facing a potential sentence of life imprisonment, supervised release, and a significant fine. His plea represents a key development in the federal investigation into the gang and the clarification of one of Lynn's most severe shootings in recent years.