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MS-13 Member Sentenced to 40 Years for Murder
A brutal murder in East Boston has led to a 40-year prison sentence for an MS-13 member. Joel Martinez, also known as ‘Animal,’ was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in the RICO conspiracy.
On September 20, 2015, Martinez, then 19, stabbed a 15-year-old boy to death on Trenton Street in East Boston. During recorded conversations with a cooperating witness, Martinez acknowledged being a member of MS-13 and admitted to the crime.
In a chilling statement, Martinez said, ‘I stabbed the culero three times,’ and stated, ‘He stared at me and he asked me if I was going to, if I was going to stab him. I told him, ‘Yes, the Mara rules you.’
After the murder, Martinez was ‘jumped in’ and made a full member of MS-13’s Eastside Loco Salvatrucha (ESLS) clique during a ceremony that was surreptitiously recorded by agents. When a prospective member is ‘jumped in,’ members of the MS-13 clique beat the new member with their hands and feet while one of the leaders counts aloud slowly to thirteen.
U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling praised the collaborative effort that led to Martinez’s conviction, saying, ‘This case demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement to hold accountable those who engage in violent crimes.’
Martinez, a Salvadoran national, will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. He was also sentenced to two years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Massachusetts State Police, and local police departments.
Martinez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, also known as RICO conspiracy, in December 2017. His sentence serves as a reminder of the consequences of engaging in violent crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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