U.S. Attorney Commends Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Cooperation
GREENBELT, Md., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Attorney for the
District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein announces that a federal grand jury has
indicted 19 defendants for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering
enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. The indictment was returned
under seal on August 23, 2005 and was unsealed today upon the arrests of the
defendants and the execution of search warrants.
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said, "The violent activities of MS-
13 represent a serious threat to the safety of our communities. We're going to
fight violent gangs with the same proven strategies and partnerships that have
been successful in our efforts to confront organized criminal enterprises in
the past. Our priority is to keep our neighborhoods safe and prevent the
senseless tragedies caused by street gang violence."
United States Attorney Rosenstein said, "Federal, state and local law
enforcement authorities are united in our commitment to fight gang violence in
Maryland. If you join a gang that is in the business of committing violent
crimes, you can wind up in federal prison."
Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said, "The arrests today are just the tip of
the iceberg. We will not allow violent predators to jeopardize our children
and invade our neighborhoods. ATF remains committed to our partners and
understands that working as one is critical to the continued success of our
mission."
Prince George's County Police Chief Melvin High stated, "Citizens have
been alarmed by gang activity in Prince George's County and throughout the
region. Our joint operation today assures them that we are working closely
with the ATF and all of our federal, state and local partners to identify gang
members and root them out of our community. We will use every resource at our
disposal to get criminals out."
Today's arrests and searches are the result of the ATF's Regional Anti-
Gang Enforcement ("RAGE") Task Force working jointly with the Prince George's
County Police Department, with assistance from other law enforcement agencies.
The indictment alleges that the defendants were members of a violent gang
known as MS-13, with members operating in Prince George's and Montgomery
Counties. The indictment charges that MS-13 is an organized crime group that
frequently engaged in criminal activity.
The indictment alleges that from at least 2002 to August of 2005, the
defendants conspired to commit murder, kidnapping, robbery and obstruction of
justice. Specific acts of violence charged in the indictment include six
murders and six attempted murders in Maryland, as follows: the April 20, 2003
beating and murder in Langley Park of rival gang member Noel Gudiel; the
June 10, 2003 attempted murder of a juvenile member of a rival gang outside of
High Point High School in Beltsville; the November 22, 2003 stabbing and death
of Eliuth Madrigal in Silver Spring; the November 22, 2003 shooting death of
gang member Randy Calderon in Mount Ranier; the May 21, 2004 beating and
murder of Ashley Antonio Urias at the Washington National Cemetery in
Suitland; the September 17, 2004 attempted murder of a juvenile member of a
rival gang outside of a nightclub in Langley Park; the October 25, 2004
kidnapping in Adelphi of two juvenile females, resulting in the murder of one
and attempted murder of the other; the March 26, 2005 drive-by shooting in
Hyattsville resulting in the death of a juvenile male; the June 8, 2005
attempted murder of a high school student outside his home in Langley Park;
and the June 14, 2005 attempted murder of a juvenile member of a rival gang
and his friend in Silver Spring.
The following defendants are charged in the indictment:
Israel Ramos Cruz, age 28;
Jose Pena Aguilar, age 23;
Everec Alvarez Chacon, age 28;
Edgar Alberto Ayala, age 28, of Suitland;
Jorge Rigoberto Amador, age 31;
Antonio Roberto Argueta, age 25;
Walter Noel Barahona, age 21, of Hyattsville;
Nelson Bernal, age 24, of Hyattsville;
Jose Hippilito Cruz Diaz, age 26, of Lanham;
Ronaldo Diaz Vasquez, age 24, of Wheaton;
Santos Maximos Garcia, age 28;
James Guillen, age 19, of Hyattsville;
Juan Lopez, age 19, of Riverdale;
Israel Ernesto Palacios, age 28, of Silver Spring;
Franklin Mejia Molina, age 21, of Silver Spring;
Juan Carlos Moreira, age 25;
Omar Antonio Vasquez, age 27;
Oscar Ramos Velasquez, age 20, of Baltimore; and
Henry Zelaya, age 18.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Initial
appearances are scheduled for this afternoon beginning at 2:00 before U.S.
District Court Magistrate Judge Jillyn K. Schulze.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by
indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later
criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rosenstein commended the hundreds of federal and
state law enforcement officers who worked together to execute the search and
arrest warrants today. Mr. Rosenstein expressed his appreciation for the
outstanding cooperation and teamwork of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives, the Prince George's County Police Department, U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Montgomery County Police Department,
the Howard County Police Department, the Maryland National Capital Park
Police, the Maryland State Police and the Fairfax County, Virginia Police
Department.
Mr. Rosenstein thanked Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F.
Ivey, Montgomery County State's Attorney Douglas F. Gansler, and Fairfax
County, Virginia, Commonwealth's Attorney Robert F. Horan, Jr., for the
assistance that they and their offices provided.
Mr. Rosenstein also praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra
Wilkinson and James M. Trusty, and Prince George's County Assistant State's
Attorney Laura J. Gwinn, who are prosecuting the case.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
VICKIE E. LEDUC
(410) 209-4885
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
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Related links:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/md
http://www.atf.gov
Contact: Vickie E. LeDuc, Public Information Officer of U.S.
Department of Justice, +1-410-209-4885, or fax, +1-410-962-3091,
or Vickie.LeDuc@usdoj.gov
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