Greenbelt, Maryland – Three men, alleged members and associates of the notorious gang La Mara Salvatrucha — commonly known as MS-13 — have made their initial appearance in the District of Maryland.
The men, Maxwell Ariel Quijano-Casco, 24, of El Salvador; Daniel Isaias Villanueva-Bautista, 19, of El Salvador; and Josue Mauricio Lainez, 21, of Hyattsville, Maryland, are charged for their roles in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) conspiracy, including murder and drug trafficking.
According to court documents, on July 4, 2024, Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, and Lainez allegedly killed a homeless man in connection with their involvement with MS-13.
On July 5, a passerby called 911 after discovering the deceased victim sitting in a blue 2008 Dodge Caravan parked in a used-car lot in Hyattsville, Maryland.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Jose A. Perez, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Criminal Investigative Division; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, and Lainez are all charged with RICO conspiracy, including the July 4, murder. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of release for the murder charge, and up to 20 years in prison for the drug trafficking charge.
Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, and Lainez are currently being held without bail and are scheduled to appear in court on August 24, 2024.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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