WORCESTER—A former Worcester resident with known ties to the Eastside gang was recently sentenced to six years in federal prison for firearms offenses and cocaine distribution, federal authorities announced.
Juan Otero, 23, also known as “Nene” or “Blockz,” was sentenced on June 20 in Worcester’s district court to 72 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. The Franklin resident had previously pleaded guilty in February to dealing firearms without a license, receiving a firearm while under indictment, possession of a machinegun, and cocaine distribution.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the investigation began in August 2023 when a cooperating witness working with federal law enforcement contacted Otero via Snapchat about purchasing drugs. Otero went on to sell the witness a total of 14 grams of cocaine over two transactions in November and December of that year.
In addition to drugs, Otero sold the witness multiple firearms—five in total—between November 2023 and January 2025. Those included weapons with defaced serial numbers, high-capacity magazines, and a Glock modified with a machinegun conversion device and 40-round drum magazine.
At the time of the sales, Otero was on pretrial release from pending 2022 state charges in Worcester Superior Court, including unlawful possession of a large capacity weapon and attempted assault and battery.
Federal prosecutors say that Otero also offered to sell additional weapons, including an AR-style rifle and other handguns.
Have news, tips, or a story worth telling? Reach Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org—because good stories (and great scoops) deserve to be shared.
