Six Defendants Convicted In San Francisco MS-13 Gang Trial
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS/AP) – Six of the seven defendants in a months-long federal trial targeting the MS-13 gang, who terrorized the San Francisco Mission District in 2008, have been convicted on a variety of charges, including murder, racketeering and assault.
On Tuesday, jurors announced that they have convicted Angel Noel Guevara, Moris Flores, Marvin Carcamo, Jonathan Cruz-Ramirez, Guillermo Herrera and Erick Lopez for their roles in turf wars that killed both rivals and innocent bystanders in the streets of the Mission District in 2008.
KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:
One of the defendants, Walter Cruz-Zavala, was acquitted of all charges.
"The guy that testified, the real cooperator as to my client, was hoping for 10 years," said Randy Sue Pollock, Cruz-Zavala's attorney. "But I don't think that's going to happen. He was not a good witness and wasn't credible."
Many of the witnesses in the trial were former gang members who turned state's evidence.
MS-13 is a notoriously violent street gang which originated in El Salvador.
The San Francisco Police Department did most of the investigations in the case, but the prosecution was turned over to the federal government.
The verdict came after months of testimony and almost a week of deliberations.
The six convicted men could face life in prison when they are sentenced in late November.
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