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MS-13 Leaders Charged in Racketeering, Murder
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Six alleged members of the La Mara Salvartrucha, or MS-13 gang, have been charged with racketeering charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on April 16, 2024, and unsealed this morning, charges four individuals with racketeering (RICO) conspiracy: Fredy Mauricio Buruca, 26, of Salisbury, N.C., Santos Guillermo Ramirez Mancia, 32, of Annapolis, Maryland, Juan Francisco Sanchez Estrada, 30, of Salisbury, and Luis Fernando Guardardo Moreno, 26, of El Salvador. The two individuals charged with murder in aid of racketeering activity are Christian Alejandro Garcia Santa Cruz, 31, and Aderly Jose Veliz-Ronquillo, 30, both of Annapolis.
According to allegations in the indictment, the defendants were leaders and members of the MS-13 sub-unit, or clique, known as the Hollywood Locos Salvadorians Clique (the HLS clique), which operated in and around the Western District of North Carolina and other areas in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. From at least December 2018 and continuing through November 2022, as members of the HLS clique, the defendants allegedly were engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that consisted of multiple acts and threats involving murder, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, and drug trafficking.
“Street gangs threaten the well-being of our communities and spread violence, fear, and intimidation,” said U.S. Attorney King. “Our coordinated law enforcement efforts prioritize the investigation and prosecution of dangerous gangs to dismantle their operations and disrupt their criminal activities.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Kyle Burns added, “Finding, arresting and prosecuting those involved in gang activity greatly increases public safety and makes a dramatic impact in our communities.”
The FBI’s Charlotte Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt, also contributed to the investigation. “Violent gangs including MS-13 can wreak havoc in our communities. The FBI is committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to target and dismantle gangs that threaten the safety and stability of our neighborhoods,” said DeWitt.
The investigation into the gang’s criminal activity revealed that these criminal acts were allegedly sanctioned by MS-13 leadership and were committed to promote a climate of fear and intimidation within the gang, to maintain the gang’s control and to expand its territory, to enforce discipline within the gang and punish any acts of disrespect, to intimidate witnesses and discourage cooperation with law enforcement, and to retaliate against rivals, or “chavalas.”
Participation in criminal activity was also intended to increase respect and ranking of members within the gang and to open the door to promotion to a leadership position. The indictment alleges that on November 6, 2022, Santa Cruz and Veliz-Ronquillo committed murder in aid of racketeering against a victim identified as W.G.M., for the purpose of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing position in the MS-13 enterprise.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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