Marcelo Esquivel, Murder in-Aid-of Racketeering, New York 2012
Grimy Times has learned that Marcelo Esquivel, a former MS-13 gang leader in Queens, has been charged with murder in-aid-of racketeering and causing death through the use of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of Daniel Licona-Gonzalez on July 2, 2012.
According to the indictment, Esquivel directed two MS-13 members to murder a member of the rival Latin Kings gang and provided them with a gun. The coconspirators, who were riding a bicycle, went to a location in Jamaica, Queens, where they believed they would find their target. One of them yelled, “La Mara,” a reference to the MS-13 gang, and shot Licona-Gonzalez in the head. The victim died the following day.
The indictment alleges that Esquivel used his authority as an MS-13 gang leader to order the hit, and that the murder was carried out in furtherance of the gang's violent code.
Marcelo Esquivel, 38, a resident of Queens, New York, was arrested yesterday and will be arraigned this afternoon via teleconference before United States Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann.
“As alleged, Esquivel ordered the murder of another human being in furtherance of the vicious code of the MS-13 gang, and the life of an 18-year-old man was ended by co-conspirators carrying out the defendant’s death wish,” stated United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue.
The charges against Esquivel are the latest in a series of federal prosecutions targeting members of the MS-13 gang. The MS-13's leadership is based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.
Marcelo Esquivel, a resident of Queens, New York, faces charges of murder in-aid-of racketeering and causing death through the use of a firearm. He is currently being held without bail and will be arraigned this afternoon via teleconference.
The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, with assistance from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Police Department.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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