Four alleged members of MS-13 have been charged with several counts of murder, kidnapping and burglary, in addition to drug trafficking in relation to a large-scale racketeering conspiracy, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The indictment, which is reportedly a superseding indictment, named four alleged members of transnational gang MS-13 who allegedly participated in a string of ten murders in the span of a year from March 2017 to March 2018, the DOJ announced Thursday.
Members who were named in the indictment were charged with several counts, including Racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, as well as kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering in addition to firearms charges, the DOJ stated.
DOJ: “Four alleged members of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) have been charged in a federal superseding indictment with a racketeering conspiracy involving multiple murders, kidnappings and burglaries, as well as drug trafficking.” pic.twitter.com/zOCSkVLOnb
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) August 4, 2021
The four members were reportedly part of the Parkview clique, a subset of MS-13, that operated in Las Vegas, Nevada, the DOJ said in their statement.
Five of the ten victims were reportedly kidnapped before being killed by the group, with the other five simply being murdered, the DOJ stated. One other victim was shot during the 12-month period, but survived. (RELATED: Nine MS-13 Gang Members Charged For Years-Long Crime Spree, Including 7 Alleged Murders)
“The violence alleged in the superseding indictment in this case is truly shocking,” Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ’s Criminal Division Kenneth Polite Jr. said in the statement. “The murder spree carried out by MS-13 in Las Vegas clearly shows the danger posed by organized street gangs like MS-13.”
“Taking violent offenders off the street should send a message to MS-13 members and their associates that violence and murder will not be tolerated in Las Vegas,” Special Agent in Charge if FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office Aaron C. Rouse said in the statement.
The four alleged members face a life sentence if convicted, the DOJ stated, adding that two are expected to appear in court on August 10 before a federal judge.