He may have played a detective on NYPD Blue… But Jimmy Smits’ next role will take him to the dark side.

The 56-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor has signed on for a season-long arc on Sons of Anarchy, FX’s dark biker drama.

Smits will play Neron “Nero” Padilla, a Latino gangbanger with an exit strategy who becomes a dangerous mentor for Charlie Hunnam’s character Jax. The character of Nero is envisioned to be heavily tattooed and extremely dark.

Previously, Smits has previously starred in LA Law, for which he won an Emmy, He’s also stated in The West Wing and Outlaw.

Image courtesy of Tim Fraser.