Two Boston Men Arrested and Charged For Alleged Drug Trafficking Following East Cambridge Shooting

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville Bard, Jr. have announced that Efrain Gonzalez, 31, Boston, has been arrested on warrants in relation to drug charges that stemmed from a shooting incident that occurred on March 2, 2021, in the area of Fifth and Spring Street in East Cambridge. Gonzalez’s warrants were for Trafficking Cocaine Over 200 Grams and Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine. A 33-year-old Boston man was also summonsed on warrants for Conspiracy to Traffic Cocaine, Trafficking Cocaine Over 200 Grams, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.

Gonzalez was arrested last week without incident and subsequently arraigned in Cambridge District Court. Judge Ina Howard-Hogan ordered the defendant to be held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing on April 14, 2021.

On March 2, 2021, at approximately 1:30 a.m., a Cambridge Police Officer was in the area of Fifth Street and heard a gunshot. He then observed an injured victim walking on Spring Street towards Fifth Street.  The Officer also reported seeing two vehicles leaving the area on Spring Street towards Sixth Street. He immediately ran to the victim and provided medical aid before Cambridge Fire arrived on scene to render further treatment. The victim was later transported to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition. Following a preliminary investigation, Officers located two abandoned vehicles in the area of nearby Hurley Street. Following the execution of a search warrant on one of the vehicles, Officers recovered a loaded, semi-automatic firearm that was reported stolen out of Louisiana, approximately 1,525 grams of Cocaine, digital scales and identification belonging to the Boston man, who was summonsed and originally injured following the shooting. After executing a search warrant on the other vehicle, Officers recovered approximately 509 grams of cocaine, smartphones, ammunition, a digital scale and more evidence. Fingerprints recovered from the packaging matched that of Gonzalez and the other defendant.   

While conducting a search of the area the night of the shooting, Officers also recovered a semi-automatic, loaded firearm on a nearby porch, several bags of crack cocaine, a knife and other evidence. The Cambridge Police was assisted by the State Police and Boston Police, as well as the Cambridge Fire Department and Pro EMS the night of the shooting.

These charges are allegations and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty.

This is an open and ongoing investigation being conducted by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Cambridge Police Department. Additional charges are possible. The prosecutor in charge of the arraignment was Dave Yasinovsky. The Assistant District Attorney assigned to this case is Graham Van Epps.