Josue Alexis DePaz, MS-13 RICO Conspiracy, Massachusetts 2018

BOSTON, MA - A brutal murder in Lawrence has led to a guilty plea in federal court. Josue Alexis DePaz, a 21-year-old MS-13 member, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy involving the murder of a 15-year-old boy in O'Connell Park.

On July 5, 2015, DePaz, also known as 'Gato,' stabbed the 15-year-old boy to death in Lawrence. He admitted to the crime during a recorded conversation with law enforcement officers.

DePaz was identified as a member of MS-13's Everett Loco Salvatrucha (ELS) clique, which operated in the greater Boston area. A search warrant at a house in Somerville resulted in the recovery of a firearm, several large knives, photographs of MS-13 members flashing gang signs, and a large volume of MS-13 paraphernalia.

DePaz was one of 61 individuals named in a superseding indictment targeting the criminal activities of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts. He is the 28th defendant to plead guilty in this case.

Josue Alexis DePaz faces up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and will be subject to deportation upon the completion of his sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for April 6, 2018.

DePaz, a Salvadoran national formerly residing in Lawrence, was arrested in a house in Somerville with several other MS-13 members. The investigation, which lasted three years, was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Massachusetts State Police, among others.

This case highlights the ongoing threat posed by MS-13 in Massachusetts. The gang's activities have resulted in violence and terror throughout the state, and law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to dismantle their operations.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/ms-13-member-pleads-guilty-rico-conspiracy-involving-murder-1