10 MS-13 gang members indicted on murder, racketeering charges

GALVESTON, Texas – Ten alleged MS-13 gang members have been indicted Aug. 24 by a federal grand jury for varied crimes together with racketeering conspiracy, homicide, tried homicide, conspiracy to homicide in assist of racketeering (VICAR), firearms prices and obstruction of justice on account of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that included Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) Houston, in addition to varied federal, state and native legislation enforcement companies.

The ten people indicted included Franklin Trejo-Chavarria, 25; Julio Vigil-Lopez, 25; Walter Antonio Chicas-Garcia, 25; Luis Ernesto Carbajal-Peraza, 30; Carlos Alexi Garcia-Gongora, 24; Wilson Jose Ventura-Mejia, 26; Angel Miguel Aguilar-Ochoa, 37; Marlon Miranda-Moran, 23; Wilman Rivas-Guido, 26; and Carlos Elias Henriquez-Torres, 22. All ten defendants are residents of El Salvador. Particular felony prices for every defendant included on the finish of the information launch.

All defendants are within the custody of U.S. legislation enforcement besides Trejo-Chavarria and Vigil-Lopez, who’re each presently positioned in El Salvador.

In keeping with allegations within the indictment, the defendants have been leaders and members of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and chargeable for seven murders, one tried homicide and one homicide conspiracy. The seven murders allegedly happened between 2015 and 2018 and included a spread of victims to incorporate the killing of a juvenile feminine and a police informant. The murders additionally included a number of acts of mutilation and dismemberment with machetes, in accordance with the costs.

The indictment additionally alleges that round 2015, and persevering with by right now, the defendants engaged in a racketeering conspiracy involving homicide, extortion, drug trafficking, theft, and obstruction of justice. The murders and different crimes charged within the indictment have been allegedly dedicated within the Southern District of Texas and the District of Maryland.

The investigation has revealed that these felony acts have been dedicated to take care of the gang’s management, to retaliate towards rival gangs and to hunt retribution towards those that have been believed to have cooperated with legislation enforcement towards the gang, in accordance with the indictment. Leaders in El Salvador and elsewhere allegedly licensed the acts to make sure particular person members and cliques adopted the customs, guidelines, and protocols of the bigger MS-13 enterprise.

“As demonstrated by the allegations within the indictment, transnational felony avenue gangs like MS-13 are a plague upon society that have to be rooted out within the curiosity of public security and nationwide safety,” stated Mark Dawson, particular agent accountable for HSI Houston. “HSI Houston is dedicated to proceed to work alongside our legislation enforcement companions to carry an finish to the relentless terror and violence that they reign on the harmless and law-abiding members of our communities.”

“The fees on this case replicate the Justice Division’s dedication to dismantling and disrupting MS-13, a felony group that sows violence, terror and concern in communities throughout the nation,” stated Legal professional Basic Merrick B. Garland. “We are going to proceed to work intently alongside our legislation enforcement companions to root out felony organizations wherever they exist and break the cycles of violence that they perpetuate.”

“Defending the protection of our communities is prime to what we do on the FBI,” stated FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This indictment is one instance of the persistent work being accomplished by the FBI and our companions to fight violent gangs like MS-13 that inundate communities with violence. The FBI is dedicated to decreasing violent crime and combating the menace felony enterprises pose. We’re proud to work alongside our native, state, tribal and federal enforcement companions in bringing violent members of felony organizations like MS-13 to justice.”

“This case is a vital step in curbing crime in Texas and a message to felony organizations that federal authorities are working with native legislation enforcement to cease the violence,” stated U.S. Legal professional Jennifer B. Lowery for the Southern District of Texas. “The fees on this case are intensive and violent. We are going to proceed the struggle and can cease at nothing to carry those that we imagine are placing our communities in danger to justice.”

“This indictment is a testomony to the sturdy partnerships we’ve with our federal and native companies to assist carry violent gang offenders to justice,” stated Houston Police Chief Troy Finner. “We thank our companions and sit up for working collectively to assist maintain our communities protected.”

Different companies that participated within the investigation included the FBI, Houston Police Division, Galveston Police Division, Prince George’s County (Maryland) Police Division and Texas Division of Public Security. The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals Service assisted with the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Britini Cooper and John M. Lewis are prosecuting the case together with Trial Attorneys Julie A. Finocchiaro, Matthew Okay. Hoff and Gerald A. Collins from the Legal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Part.

For extra information and data on HSI Houston’s efforts to maintain Southeast Texas communities protected from transnational gangs and different violent felony exercise observe us on Twitter @HSIHouston.

An indictment is a proper accusation of felony conduct, not proof. A defendant is presumed harmless except convicted by due technique of legislation.