MS-13 Members Reyes-Castillo, Torres-Escobar, Perez-Manchame Indicted in Murder

Three alleged MS-13 gang members are facing federal murder charges in Las Vegas for the January 2018 kidnapping and killing of Arquimidez Sandoval-Martinez. The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury, charges Jose Luis Reynaldo Reyes-Castillo, aka Molesto, 25; Miguel Torres-Escobar, aka Chamilo, 21; and David Arturo Perez-Manchame, aka Walter Melendez and Herbi, 20, with murder in aid of racketeering, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, and causing death through the use of a firearm.

All three defendants are nationals of Central America and are in the United States illegally. Reyes-Castillo and Torres-Escobar are citizens of El Salvador; Perez-Manchame is a citizen of Honduras. They are currently held in federal custody, with Reyes-Castillo also facing separate federal charges in the Eastern District of California.

According to the indictment, MS-13 — a violent, transnational criminal organization — operates across the U.S., including in Las Vegas through its Parkview clique. The gang, composed largely of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, demands its members commit violent acts to maintain status and enforce internal discipline.

The alleged murder occurred on January 21, 2018. Prosecutors say Reyes-Castillo, Torres-Escobar, and Perez-Manchame kidnapped Sandoval-Martinez before intentionally participating in acts of violence that led to his death. The indictment details a coordinated act of brutality consistent with the gang’s pattern of criminal control.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the FBI’s Las Vegas Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the DEA. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich, and agency leaders from the FBI and HSI announced the charges.

The defendants are scheduled for arraignment on May 21, 2019, before Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas. Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime & Gang Section is prosecuting the case. The indictment is not a conviction — the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.