Baltimore Bled: MS-13 Clique Faces RICO Charges in Triple Homicide

Baltimore, MD – Four alleged members of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas (CLS) clique of MS-13 are facing federal racketeering charges stemming from a string of violent crimes that terrorized southeast Baltimore. The indictment, unsealed this week by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, details a conspiracy involving multiple murders, drug trafficking, and extortion. This comes on the heels of a similar indictment just days prior, charging three other MS-13 members in Prince George’s County with murder and drug offenses.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, alongside Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates, and federal and local law enforcement officials, announced the charges against Eliseo Alexander Lopez Alvarez, 23, of El Salvador, also known as “10,” “Zorro,” and “Terrible;” Olvin Josue Posas Alvarenga, 23, of Honduras, known as “Elevado;” Kevin Cuestas, 20, of Honduras, aka “Mickey” and “Gemelo;” and Josue Anibal Guerra Ramos, 20, of Honduras, also known as “Flaco.” The indictment alleges that beginning in at least 2023, these individuals participated in a racketeering conspiracy as members of MS-13 CLS, systematically engaging in criminal activity to further the gang’s aims.

The details are chilling. In late November 2023, Lopez Alvarez, Posas Alvarenga, and other CLS members allegedly used a fabricated social media profile – posing as a woman – to lure a victim into a wooded area in southeast Baltimore, where they brutally murdered him. Just months later, in March 2024, Cuestas and another member of the clique allegedly gunned down a victim on a southeast Baltimore street, making a swift escape in a getaway car. The violence escalated again in April 2024, when Guerra Ramos and an accomplice opened fire on two individuals on the same southeast Baltimore street, resulting in one fatality.

Beyond the murders, the indictment paints a picture of a ruthless operation fueled by illicit profits. The defendants are accused of conspiring to distribute marijuana to fund the CLS clique’s activities. They also allegedly engaged in extortion, threatening victims with violence and intimidation to extract money and maintain control. The indictment alleges a pattern of brazen disregard for human life and a calculated effort to instill fear within the community. These aren’t isolated incidents; they are the hallmarks of a deeply entrenched criminal enterprise.

Authorities are quick to emphasize that the charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is pursuing the case aggressively, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. O’Donohue III and Kenneth S. Clark leading the prosecution. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). The State’s Attorney for Baltimore City also provided crucial assistance.

This case is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a national initiative aimed at dismantling transnational criminal organizations and restoring safety to communities across the country. The operation leverages resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). It also falls under the umbrella of “Summer Heat,” the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. Law enforcement urges anyone with information about MS-13 activity to come forward. Tips can be reported to the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713) or HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

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