By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON — A Salvadoran gang associate has admitted to running an illegal firearms and drug operation out of his Chelsea home, federal prosecutors announced. Melbi Ovidio Ortez, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Boston to dealing in firearms without a license and distributing controlled substances. His sentencing is set for May 6, 2026.
Ortez, tied to the notorious 18th Street Gang, sold multiple firearms and ammunition to gang members on at least four occasions between April 3 and May 2, 2025. Authorities say he peddled a Glock 9mm, a Sturm and Ruger .22, a Glock .40, a Colt .380, and more than 100 rounds of ammunition. Investigators found serial numbers on the Glock 9mm and Colt .380 had been defaced. The Glock had been purchased legally just 20 days earlier from a dealer in New Hampshire. During the same period, Ortez sold cocaine twice.
Prosecutors emphasize that the charges carry serious penalties. The firearms violation can bring up to five years in prison, while the drug distribution charge carries a potential 20-year sentence. Fines could reach $1 million, and Ortez faces deportation after serving any sentence imposed.
Authorities say Ortez’s crimes were part of a broader effort to arm gang members and fuel street-level violence in Chelsea. “This is exactly the kind of activity federal law enforcement is committed to shutting down,” a source familiar with the case said. “Defacing serial numbers, selling high-capacity firearms and narcotics in your own neighborhood — it’s brazen and dangerous.”
Federal prosecutors noted the case is ongoing, and the sentencing will reflect both the serious threat posed to the community and Ortez’s role in a violent gang network.