MS-13 Hitman Gets 51 Years for Murder & Robberies

GREENBELT, MD – Luis Antonio Cruz-Hernandez, a/k/a “Paniquiado,” 27, of Silver Spring, Maryland, will spend the next 51 years of his life in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm handed down the sentence today for his central role in a chilling murder-for-hire plot and a subsequent spree of armed robberies. Following his prison term, Cruz-Hernandez faces five years of supervised release. Judge Grimm also ordered him to pay over $250,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.

The sentencing comes after a joint investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Montgomery County Police Department. Authorities say Cruz-Hernandez is a confirmed member of the notorious La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, an international criminal organization with a significant footprint in the Maryland region.

According to court documents, Cruz-Hernandez operated within the Pinos Locotes Salvatrucha (“PLS”) clique of MS-13, a particularly violent faction. MS-13 operates on a strict code of violence, demanding members commit acts of aggression – both against rivals (“chavalas”) and to maintain internal discipline. The gang, largely composed of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, has established cliques throughout Maryland, including Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Frederick Counties.

The murder plot unfolded in November 2016. Cruz-Hernandez conspired with others to assassinate a victim in exchange for cash, acting as a key facilitator between the financial backer – referred to as “Co-conspirator 1” – and a PLS clique member who carried out the hit. The conspirators utilized a hotel room for staging and conducted surveillance of the victim before the clique member ambushed and fatally shot him on November 30, 2016. Cruz-Hernandez received a cut of the payment for his involvement. Investigators determined the vehicle used for surveillance and the murder, along with cell phone communications, were all integral to the conspiracy.

But the violence didn’t stop there. Cruz-Hernandez also pled guilty to his involvement in seven armed robberies across Maryland and the Eastern District of Virginia between June 2017 and November 2017. These robberies, orchestrated by the same PLS clique member, netted over $250,000 in stolen funds from victim businesses. The extent of the financial damage adds another layer of severity to Cruz-Hernandez’s crimes.

“This sentence sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who engage in the senseless violence and criminal activity perpetrated by MS-13,” stated U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not ruled out further charges against other individuals involved in the conspiracy and robbery spree.