Juan Jose Jimenez-Montufar, Murder, Ohio 2023

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A shocking tale of murder and gang violence has unfolded in the courts of Ohio. Juan Jose Jimenez-Montufar, a 35-year-old Columbus resident, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering.

According to the charges, Jimenez-Montufar was part of a larger MS-13 organization that engaged in a myriad of crimes, including five murders, attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses, and immigration-related violations.

The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a confidential informant, in Perry County.

As part of his plea, Jimenez-Montufar admitted to being the shooter who killed Mendez in 2006. At that time, Mendez was a confidential informant working with law enforcement agencies in the Columbus area. In December 2006, Jimenez-Montufar and other MS-13 members drove Mendez to a remote location east of Columbus to murder him. Jimenez-Montufar shot Mendez in the head and left his body in Perry County.

Jimenez-Montufar's plea also details that the defendant participated in other homicides, assaulted victims, set fire to an extortion victim's car, and took part in drug trafficking, extortion, and money laundering.

Jimenez-Montufar faces up to life in prison. U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police, and Franklin County Sheriff's Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim, who are prosecuting the case.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of gang violence and the importance of effective law enforcement in keeping our communities safe.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/pr/ms-13-defendant-admits-being-shooter-2006-murder