Three El Salvadoran nationals—Juan Pablo Escalante-Melgar, aka Humilde, 31; Elmer Cruz-Diaz, aka Locote, 33; and Oscar Sanchez-Aguilar, aka Snappy 25, 25—were convicted by a federal jury in Newark, New Jersey, on charges of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering, stemming from their roles in the violent gang Mara Salvatrucha, known as MS-13. The verdict closes a years-long investigation into the execution-style killing of 19-year-old José Urias-Hernandez, an innocent man gunned down in a case of mistaken identity.
On July 1, 2015, Urias-Hernandez was shot once in the back of the head as he entered his apartment building in Hudson County. Prosecutors say the murder was ordered by Escalante-Melgar and Sanchez-Aguilar to allow a recruit to gain full membership in MS-13 by carrying out a hit on a suspected rival. The target was not Urias-Hernandez—but the gang carried out the killing anyway, exposing the callous brutality that defines the gang’s operations.
Court documents reveal that between September 2014 and October 2015, the three defendants participated in MS-13’s criminal enterprise through extortion, drug trafficking, witness tampering, and violent enforcement of gang rules. MS-13, founded in Los Angeles and now active across Central America and the U.S., operates through tightly controlled cliques bound by orders to kill rivals and a strict code of silence toward law enforcement.
Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig stated, “MS-13 is a violent multinational criminal organization that engages in drug trafficking, intimidation, and the murder of witnesses, rival gang members, and – as happened here – innocent victims.” She emphasized that while justice cannot return Urias-Hernandez’s life, the convictions hold the perpetrators accountable and send a message to violent gangs operating in New Jersey.
The investigation was a multi-agency effort led by the FBI, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Hudson County law enforcement. FBI Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. praised the collaboration, calling it “critical for successfully defending threats that endanger our communities.” ICE-ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris noted the case began with immigration arrests but evolved into a homicide prosecution, underscoring the interconnected nature of gang and border crime.
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez hailed the outcome as a “major win” for public safety. “This conviction is the result of relentless work by investigators and prosecutors,” she said. “These individuals planned and executed the murder of an innocent person,” added HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina. “HSI remains committed to dismantling criminal gangs like MS-13.” Sentencing is pending; the defendants face life in prison.
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Related Federal Cases
- MS-13 Leaders Convicted in Newark Murder-for-Initiation Plot · Maryland
- Fossil Raider Cue Gets 57 Months · Pennsylvania
- 20 Charged in Mad Stone Bloods Racketeering Case · Connecticut
- MS-13 Hitman Garcia Gets 20 Years for Murder-for-Hire · Maryland
- Cruz Flores ‘Bruja’ Gets Life for MS-13 Throat-Slitting Murder · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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