2 MS-13 gang members indicted for murder in Maryland
Two alleged La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, gang members in Maryland were indicted for murder, according to the Department of Justice DOJ.
MS-13 is a criminal organization with mostly immigrants from El Salvador, according to the DOJ. Some members operate in Maryland and other states in the U.S.
According to court documents, 46-year-old Manuel Erazo Alvarado and Erick Guillen Pleitez, both of Annapolis, were members or associates of MS-13 in Maryland in 2017.
The indictment alleges that during that time, both Alvarado and Pleitez distributed narcotics, collected extortion payments or "rent" and engaged in acts of violence.
On August 29, 2017, Alvarado and Pleitez murdered a person to maintain and increase their positions in the gang, according to the indictment.
According to the DOJ, both men could face mandatory life sentences or a death sentence if convicted.
Crackdown on illegal immigration
The DOJ said the FBI, Anne Arundel County Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are investigating the case which is part of Operation Take Back America.
The nationwide initiative aims to crack down on illegal immigration in the U.S.
Since taking office in January, President Trump has launched an effort to address the issue, which has prompted an increase in ICE arrests and a decrease in border crossings.
The effort has also led to concerns and protests in some Maryland communities. In Baltimore, immigrant rights activists spoke out against "inhumane living conditions" at an ICE facility where they said immigrants were being held.
In a statement to WJZ, ICE said the facility runs in compliance with federal laws and upholds "the well-being and dignity of those in our custody."
A spokesperson also said the ICE Health Service Corps was on site to provide necessary medical services.
MS-13 arrests in Maryland
There have been several MS-13 arrests in Maryland. In 2024, gang leader Melvin Canales Saldana and another member were sentenced to life in prison after prosecutors said the "Washington, D.C., metropolitan area became an MS-13 hunting ground."
Prosecutors said they were used to the MS-13 killings involving rival gangs, but the killings in 2019 involved victims who were chosen at random with no connections to any gang.
In 2021, two MS-13 members were sentenced to life without parole for the murder of a rival gang member in Baltimore County.
The sentence came after a man was found stabbed to death outside his Parkville home in 2019.
