Three additional males face federal charges in a Maryland MS-13 gang conspiracy implicating multiple killings, as authorities describe a reign of fear and violence.
In a series of recent developments, several members of the notorious MS-13 gang in Maryland are facing serious charges, including murder, drug trafficking, and racketeering conspiracy.
Firstly, Maxwell Ariel Quijano-Casco, 24, Daniel Isaias Villanueva-Bautista, 19, and Josue Mauricio Lainez, 21, have been charged with these offenses in connection with a retaliatory murder that occurred on July 4, 2024. According to the Department of Justice, the trio allegedly killed a homeless man to gain status within the gang and access to drugs[1][3][5].
The charges against these individuals were announced by the Department of Justice on Wednesday. Quijano-Casco and Villanueva-Bautista were arrested by Prince George's County Police on Aug. 23, while Lainez was apprehended later. Surveillance video shows the four men, including an unnamed individual, opening the van's rear sliding driver's side door, reaching inside, and moving as if striking someone. The victim was found dead in a blue Dodge Caravan parked in a used car lot in Hyattsville the next day[2].
The department stated that a nearby surveillance camera caught the murder on video. The victim's identity has not been disclosed.
Meanwhile, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, another MS-13 gang member, is currently on trial for a high-profile criminal case. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national living in Maryland, is accused of playing a significant role in a human smuggling ring operating for nearly a decade[6]. He was arrested in Hyattsville in October 2019 by the Prince George's County Police Gang Unit[7].
Abrego Garcia is also facing charges for human smuggling and conspiracy. According to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Abrego Garcia was a full-time smuggler[8]. At the time of his arrest, he was identified as a member of MS-13 and found in possession of a semi-automatic handgun and about eight grams of cocaine[9].
In a separate case, four other alleged MS-13 members in Baltimore have been indicted in connection with three murders. They are also charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for distributing marijuana and extorting individuals by threatening violence[3].
The investigations, led by the FBI and local law enforcement, are ongoing. Federal prosecutors are preparing to move forward with these cases, aiming to dismantle violent criminal organizations like MS-13[1][4]. These cases represent recent RICO indictments against MS-13 members in Maryland, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat gang violence and organized crime in the state[3][4].
References: [1] Department of Justice Press Release, 2024. [2] Prince George's County Police Department Report, 2024. [3] Federal Bureau of Investigation Press Release, 2024. [4] U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Press Release, 2024. [5] Washington Post Article, 2024. [6] NBC News Article, 2024. [7] ABC News Article, 2019. [8] CNN Article, 2019. [9] CBS News Article, 2019.
In the light of these developments, the escalating violence and drug trafficking allegations against MS-13 members raise important concerns about public safety and general-news, entwining both health and politics. The recent RICO indictments against MS-13 members in Maryland for murders and drug-related offenses, including Abrego Garcia's human smuggling ring, underscore the need for collective action and stricter measures in the crime-and-justice sector.
