BRIDGEPORT, CT — Ezra Alves, a 23-year-old known by aliases “EJ” and “Ezzy,” and a recognized member of the violent 960 gang based in Waterbury, Connecticut, has pleaded guilty to multiple federal offenses. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley, marking a significant development in the ongoing efforts to combat gang violence and drug trafficking in the area.
The charges against Alves stem from a comprehensive investigation led by the FBI, ATF, and Waterbury Police into the activities of several Waterbury-based gangs, including the 960 gang. This collaborative law enforcement effort culminated in a 36-count indictment by a federal grand jury in Hartford on September 14, 2021, implicating Alves and 15 other alleged gang members in a wide range of criminal activities.
Alves’s guilty plea encompasses one count of racketeering conspiracy, three counts related to attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, two counts of carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
The admission to these charges reveals Alves’s involvement in a series of violent acts aimed at rival gang members, including participation in multiple drive-by shootings in 2018 which resulted in injuries to individuals believed to be affiliated with competing gangs.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2024, where Alves faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years to a potential life sentence in prison. Detained since November 15, 2019, Alves’s plea marks a pivotal moment in addressing the cycle of violence and drug trafficking that has affected Waterbury and its communities.