BALTIMORE – An investigation led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) Baltimore subject workplace resulted in a life sentence for an El Salvadorian citizen and infamous gang chief. Junior Noe Alvarado-Requeno, a/ok/a “Insolente” and “Trankilo,” age 24, of Landover, Maryland was sentenced to life in federal jail, on April 25, for conspiring to take part in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational felony enterprise often known as MS-13, and for 3 counts every of homicide in support of racketeering and conspiracy to commit homicide in support of racketeering, in addition to for conspiracy to own with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine.
In response to the investigation, between 2015 and 2018, Alvarado-Requeno and his co-defendant, Miguel Angel Corea Diaz, a/ok/a “Reaper,” age 41, of Lengthy Department, New Jersey, managed and operated the Sailors Locos Salvatruchos Westside (S.L.S.W. or “Sailors”) Clique by way of a sample of racketeering exercise, which included homicide, extortion, drug trafficking, cash laundering, and witness tampering. Proof confirmed that the gang ran a safety scheme in and round its dwelling base in Langley Park, Maryland, and extorted native companies by charging them “hire” for the privilege of working in MS-13 “territory.” The gang additionally trafficked in unlawful medication, together with marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. A big share of the proceeds of the gang’s unlawful actions have been despatched to gang management in El Salvador to additional promote the targets of the gang, utilizing structured transactions and intermediaries to keep away from regulation enforcement scrutiny.
“Alvarado-Requeno represents the worst of MS-13, and his sentence displays that,” mentioned appearing Particular Agent in Cost Selwyn Smith of HSI Baltimore. “He and his group have been terrorizing law-abiding residents for much too lengthy. Now, Alvarado-Requeno has had his day in courtroom, and he won’t ever be free to terrify good individuals once more. HSI is proud to have labored with our federal, state, and native regulation enforcement companions to deliver Alvarado-Requeno to justice.”
MS-13 is a transnational gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of many largest road gangs in america, function all through Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland.
The investigation into Alvarado-Requeno and Corea Diaz, was led by the HSI Baltimore subject workplace with help from the Division of Justice Felony Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigations Washington, D.C. subject workplace, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, in addition to state and native regulation enforcement businesses in Maryland and Virginia.
The Sailors Clique dedicated acts of violence towards suspected rival gang members, in addition to towards its personal membership for breaking gang guidelines. The proof confirmed that in June 2016, Alvarado-Requeno ordered members of the Sailors Clique to homicide a suspected rival within the woods at Malcolm King Park in Gaithersburg. Luring him with the promise of intercourse with a feminine MS-13 affiliate, the gang members ambushed the teenaged sufferer and stabbed him 153 occasions. The truth is, the sufferer didn’t belong to any gang.
In March 2017, a member of the Sailors Clique who was hiding from regulation enforcement within the Lynchburg, Virginia space had a dispute with an area highschool pupil over marijuana. In response, Alvarado-Requeno and Corea-Diaz organized a squad of MS-13 members to drive all the way down to Lynchburg and homicide the excessive schooler. The gang members kidnapped the coed from his entrance garden and lower his hand off earlier than killing him. After the homicide, the Alvarado-Requeno and Corea Diaz helped to cover and defend the killers who escaped the scene from regulation enforcement.
“Alvarado-Requeno’s sentencing ought to function a warning to anybody interested by becoming a member of such felony enterprises,” Smith mentioned. “Alvarado-Requeno will stay the remainder of his life inside a federal jail cell. HSI Baltimore will proceed to pursue criminals like him who prey on the residents of Maryland.”
Among the many most necessary guidelines of MS-13 is the prohibition towards speaking to regulation enforcement, embodied by the maxim “ver, oir, y callar – see, hear, and say nothing.” The gang enforced this rule by inserting a “inexperienced gentle” – an order to kill – on any member of MS-13 who was regarded as informing on the gang. In December 2016, Alvarado-Requeno directed and took part within the homicide of a 14-year-old member of MS-13 who was suspected of speaking to the police. The boy’s stays have been found eighteen months later within the woods outdoors of Germantown, Maryland.
The HSI investigation confirmed that as a part of the racketeering conspiracy Alvarado-Requeno murdered two different people and as a part of the racketeering conspiracy Corea Diaz conspired to homicide a 3rd individual.
Corea Diaz additionally acquired a life sentence in federal jail on April 1. He was convicted of the racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, conspiracy to commit homicide in support of racketeering, conspiracy to own with intent to distribute marijuana, cocaine, and heroin; and possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Anybody with details about MS-13 is inspired to offer their tricks to regulation enforcement. Homeland Safety Investigations has a nationwide tipline that anybody can name to report MS-13 exercise. HSI may be reached at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
This case is a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Job Drive (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level felony organizations that threaten america utilizing a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency strategy that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and native regulation enforcement businesses towards felony networks.
