That includes three involved in a murder in Frederick County.
Frederick, Md (KM) 24 alleged members of the MS 13 gang were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury.. The US Attorney’s Office for Maryland says these individuals are charged with numerous offenses. including conspiracy to commit murder in the aid of racketeering, along with money laundering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.
The indictments were returned on Tuesday, June 26th, 2018, and unsealed on Thursday.
Federal Prosecutors say the individuals indicted are:
Jorge Raul Guerra Castillo, a/k/a “Pelon,” age 36;
Carlos Hernandez Diaz, a/k/a “Positivo,” age 25;
Milton Portillo Rodriguez, a/k/a “Little Gangster,” and “Seco,” age 23;
Juan Carlos Sandoval Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” age 19;
Francisco Ramirez Pena, a/k/a “Tepo,” and “Advertencia,” age 24;
Jose Alberto Sibrian Garcia, a/k/a “Chango,” age 26;
Darwin Arias Mejia, a/k/a “City,” and “City Boy,” age 25;
Miguel Lopez Abrego, a/k/a “Timido,” age 30;
Albaro Rosa Moreno, a/k/a “Slow,” age 23;
Ervin Arrue Figureoa, a/k/a “Tricky,” age 19;
Ronald Mendez Sosa, age 20;
Edwin Ruiz Urrutia, a/k/a “Sylvestre,” age 19;
Brenda Argueta Argueta, a/k/a “Prima,” age 19;
Carlos Ventura Morales, a/k/a “Pantaya,” age 30; and
Danny Hernandez Solorzano, a/k/a “Titre,” age 20.
The names of six other defendants charged in the racketeering conspiracy remain sealed.
Carlos Hernandez Diaz, Darwin Arias Meijia and Luis Fernando Cruz Rodriguez, were arrested in September, 2017, for the killing of Victor Antonio Turcios-Valle.The victim’s body was found in the woods near Gambrill Park Road and Coxey Brown Road on June 29th, 2017.
The three were charge with 1st-degree murder, conspiracy to commit 1st-degree murder and participating in a criminal gang leading to the death of another person The case was dismissed from Frederick County Circuit Court before their indictment in US District Court.
The six-count indictments allege that MS 13 gang members and their associates murdered five individuals in Frederick, Anne Arundel and Montgomery Counties, dismembering three of the victims. Federal officials say six of the defendants are charged with conspiring to murder eight individuals, maiming and assaulting victims with a machete, and shooting one in the head. These defendants are also charged with kidnapping another person with a firearm to extract payment for extortion. The indictments state these activities occurred from 2015 to 2017, and also included drug trafficking and money laundering.
Federal officials say these indictments are not a finding of guilt, and all defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
MS 13 is a national and international gang whose members mostly consists of immigrants from El Salvador or their descendants. The organization’s branches or “cliques” make it one of the largest street gangs in the US. It operates in Frederick, Anne Arundel, Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties.
By Kevin McManus