Related Federal Cases
MS-13 Leader Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Charges
A former leader of the notorious MS-13 gang has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in a federal court in San Francisco.
Ivan Cerna, also known as "Tigre," admitted to being a member of MS-13 in the San Francisco Bay area since at least the late 1990s. He agreed with other MS-13 members to commit crimes, including murder, to further the goals of the gang.
Cerna took over as the leader of MS-13 in San Francisco in 2004, following the murder of the then-leader of the gang. He held the position until around 2006. As the leader, Cerna exhorted members to defend their turf and avenge attacks by rival gangs.
In addition to Cerna, two other MS-13 members, Aristides Carcamo and Jose Quinteros, pleaded guilty to similar charges. Carcamo admitted to possessing firearms related to his membership in MS-13, while Quinteros pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon.
The maximum prison term for the RICO conspiracy charge is life in prison for Cerna and Carcamo, while Quinteros faces up to 20 years. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence charge carries a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum term of life in prison.
These guilty pleas are part of a multi-year investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations, called "Operation Devil Horns," which targeted MS-13 gang members in the San Francisco Bay area.
Cerna is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29, 2011, while Carcamo and Quinteros are set to be sentenced on March 22 and April 5, respectively.
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Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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