Recent Law Enforcement Successes in Boston

Boston, Massachusetts, February 7, 2026

Law enforcement in Massachusetts has reported several successes, including the recovery of firearms and multiple sentencing outcomes in federal court. In Boston, officers arrested Alison Soto in Mattapan after a foot chase to recover a firearm, while federal court proceedings resulted in significant sentences for illegal firearms dealing and fentanyl trafficking. Additionally, a long-sought fugitive, Daniel Bohatch, was apprehended by U.S. Marshals. These events highlight a continued commitment to public safety and community justice.

Boston, Massachusetts

Vigilance in Metropolitan Boston and Beyond Yields Recent Law Enforcement Successes

In the past forty-eight hours, law enforcement efforts across Massachusetts have brought several individuals to account for their actions, underscoring a continuous commitment to public safety and justice. From local streets in Boston to federal courtrooms, the steady work of maintaining order reflects a persistent engagement with the complexities of human conduct and its consequences. Meanwhile, a significant nationwide apprehension by U.S. Marshals highlights the enduring pursuit of fugitives, no matter the passage of time or distance.

Local Enforcement: Firearms Recovery in Mattapan

On Thursday, February 5, 2026, officers assigned to District B-3 (Mattapan) of the Boston Police Department successfully recovered a firearm following a foot chase. This action led to the arrest of Alison Soto. The swift response by officers in Mattapan serves as a reminder of the immediate and often unheralded efforts to remove dangerous instruments from the community and ensure local tranquility.

Federal Court Actions Address Diverse Offenses

Recent proceedings in federal court in Boston have brought legal resolution to several cases, spanning illegal firearm sales, drug trafficking, and official misconduct. These outcomes reflect the methodical application of justice to behaviors that undermine public trust and safety.

Illegal Firearms Dealing Leads to Prison Sentence

On February 6, 2026, a Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Riquelme Henrique De Aguiar Ferreira, also known as “Koringa,” received a sentence of two years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. His sentencing by U.S. District Judge William G. Young came after De Aguiar Ferreira pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. De Aguiar Ferreira coordinated the sale of two pistols to a cooperating witness without the required license for cash between May 2023 and August 2023. He also reportedly offered additional firearms for sale and conspired with others, traveling to South Carolina to connect supply sources with individuals in Massachusetts. Upon completion of his sentence, the defendant is subject to deportation proceedings.

Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced

A Salvadoran national, Tony Cartagena-Chacon, associated with the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, was sentenced in federal court in Boston on February 6, 2026, for his involvement in drug distribution. Cartagena-Chacon, 47, received an 18-month prison sentence, to be followed by two years of supervised release, from United States District Judge Angel Kelley. He had pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The investigation revealed that Cartagena-Chacon met with a cooperating witness on February 15, 2024, to sell approximately 50 grams of fentanyl powder. Like De Aguiar Ferreira, Cartagena-Chacon is also subject to deportation proceedings after serving his sentence.

Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Obstruction and Voyeurism

In Worcester, Massachusetts, on February 6, 2026, Nicholas Testagrossa, 43, of Rindge, New Hampshire, a former U.S. Postal Worker, pleaded guilty in federal court to obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding, and two counts of video voyeurism. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman has scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2026. Testagrossa was initially charged in December 2025. The charges stem from an incident in March 2025 where Testagrossa secretly placed a hidden camera in the women’s restroom at the Westminster Post Office, aiming to record female co-workers. The device was discovered on March 28, 2025, by a postal employee. Investigations revealed that the camera had been deployed on multiple occasions, capturing recordings of two victims undressed without their consent in February and March 2025.

Nationwide Pursuit of Justice: Long-Sought Fugitive Apprehended

Far from the local incidents, the reach of justice extends across state lines, as demonstrated by the U.S. Marshals Service. On Friday afternoon, February 6, 2026, Daniel Bohatch, a 40-year-old man wanted since 2018 for Ashtabula County, Ohio, child sex crimes, was apprehended in Glenmora, Louisiana. His arrest by the U.S. Marshals Service-led Western District of Louisiana Monroe Fugitive Task Force concludes nearly eight years of him living under an alias.

Bohatch was sought on multiple charges, including six counts of rape, three counts of gross sexual imposition, and one count of sexual battery, stemming from alleged offenses against multiple victims younger than 10 and 13 years old between November 2010 and November 2013. Authorities indicate Bohatch fled Ohio in 2018 and adopted a false identity in Louisiana. The investigation progressed after Bohatch became involved in a domestic violence incident in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, where he provided a fictitious name to deputies. The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office then contacted the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), whose newly formed Specialized Personnel for Enforcement, Apprehension & Recovery (SPEAR) unit confirmed his identity through investigative techniques. This unit specifically focuses on cold cases, sex offenders, and missing children investigations. U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott noted that Bohatch’s arrest underscores the SPEAR unit’s dedication, stating this was their second cold case fugitive arrest within the week. Bohatch is currently awaiting extradition back to Ohio.

The Steady Hand of Law

These events, disparate in their geography and nature, collectively illustrate the persistent, often unseen, work of those tasked with upholding the law. Each action, from the swift recovery of a firearm on a city street to the culmination of an eight-year pursuit across states, represents a commitment to the foundational principles of order and accountability. While the specific circumstances vary, the underlying human endeavor—to seek justice, to protect the vulnerable, and to ensure that actions carry consequences—remains a quiet, unyielding force in the daily tapestry of community life. It is in this steady, often difficult, work that the fabric of civil society finds its resilience, reminding us of the enduring necessity of vigilance and the humane understanding that every act of law enforcement touches individual lives, shaping their paths and the broader human experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What recent law enforcement actions have occurred in Boston?

On Thursday, February 5, 2026, Boston Police officers in Mattapan recovered a firearm and arrested Alison Soto after a foot chase. Additionally, federal court in Boston saw the sentencing of Riquelme Henrique De Aguiar Ferreira for illegal firearm sales and Tony Cartagena-Chacon for fentanyl trafficking, both on February 6, 2026. Nicholas Testagrossa, a former postal employee, also pleaded guilty to obstruction and video voyeurism charges in federal court in Worcester on February 6, 2026.

Who was sentenced for illegal firearm dealing?

Riquelme Henrique De Aguiar Ferreira, also known as “Koringa,” a Brazilian national, was sentenced on February 6, 2026, to two years in prison and two years of supervised release for conspiring to deal and dealing firearms without a license.

What were the charges against Tony Cartagena-Chacon?

Tony Cartagena-Chacon, a Salvadoran national associated with the 18th Street Gang, was sentenced on February 6, 2026, for distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. He received an 18-month prison sentence and two years of supervised release.

What charges did Nicholas Testagrossa plead guilty to?

Nicholas Testagrossa, a former U.S. Postal Worker, pleaded guilty on February 6, 2026, to one count of obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding, and two counts of video voyeurism.

Was a long-sought fugitive recently apprehended by U.S. Marshals?

Yes, Daniel Bohatch, wanted since 2018 for Ashtabula County, Ohio, child sex crimes, was arrested on Friday afternoon, February 6, 2026, in Glenmora, Louisiana, by the U.S. Marshals Service-led Western District of Louisiana Monroe Fugitive Task Force. He had been on the run for nearly eight years.

What were Daniel Bohatch’s original charges?

Daniel Bohatch was sought on six counts of rape, three counts of gross sexual imposition, and one count of sexual battery, related to alleged offenses against multiple victims younger than 10 and 13 years old between November 2010 and November 2013.

Summary of Key Law Enforcement Actions (February 5-6, 2026)

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