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Marvin Carcamo, MS-13 Sentencing, California 2012
San Francisco, California – In a shocking turn of events, five San Francisco-area members of the La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang were sentenced to life in prison. Marvin Carcamo, aka "Cyco," 31, Angel Guevara, aka "Peloncito," 30, Moris Flores, 22, Jonathan Cruz-Ramirez, 22, and Erick Lopez, aka "Spooky," 23, were convicted by a jury on Aug. 30, 2011, after a five-month trial.
The five defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge William Alsup in the Northern District of California. Carcamo, Guevara, Flores, Cruz-Ramirez, and Lopez were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and other violent crimes.
According to the evidence presented at trial, MS-13 is a transnational gang principally composed of individuals of Salvadoran descent that originated in Los Angeles and eventually spread throughout the United States and the world. The San Francisco clique, known as the "20th Street clique," or simply "20th Street," has existed since the early 1990s.
The clique’s principle purpose was to attack and kill rival gang members, including members of the various Norteño and Sureño gangs in the Bay Area of California, as well as individuals who cooperated with law enforcement or defied the gang’s will. Carcamo and Guevara, who were MS-13 members since the early 2000s, ascended to the leadership of 20th Street by 2007 and pushed a new "program," presented by gang leaders in Los Angeles and El Salvador, that increased violence against rivals and extorted "tax" payments from criminals.
On March 30, 2008, Lopez shot and killed Ernad Joldic and Philip Ng in the vicinity of Persia and Athens Street in the mistaken belief that the victims were Norteño gang members. On May 31, 2008, Cruz-Ramirez shot and killed micaro leader Juan Rodriguez as Rodriguez sat in a car in the vicinity of Laura and Huron Streets, because of micaro resistance to paying the tax that MS-13 demanded.
All five defendants were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Their crimes spanned several years, with the most recent incident occurring on July 31, 2008, when a group of 20th Street members pursued 14-year-old Ivan Miranda and, believing he was a Norteño, stabbed him to death in the vicinity of Persia and Madrid Streets.
The sentencing marks a significant blow to the MS-13 gang, which has been a thorn in the side of law enforcement for years. The case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of gang violence and the importance of working together to dismantle these organizations.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant: Marvin Carcamo (aka "Cyco"), Angel Guevara (aka "Peloncito"), Moris Flores, Jonathan Cruz-Ramirez, and Erick Lopez (aka "Spooky")
- Criminal Charges: Racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, and other violent crimes
- City and State: San Francisco, California
- Exact Date: Aug. 30, 2011 (sentencing), Dec. 2007 (arrests), March 30, 2008, May 31, 2008, July 11, 2008, and July 31, 2008 (crimes)
- Sentence: Life in prison without the possibility of parole
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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