BOSTON, MA – A high-ranking member of the notorious MS-13 gang has pleaded guilty to authorizing the murder of a 15-year-old boy in East Boston, Massachusetts.
Oscar Duran, a 27-year-old Salvadoran national, entered a guilty plea in federal court on Wednesday to a charge of racketeering conspiracy involving murder, also known as RICO conspiracy. The conviction stems from a multi-year investigation into the activities of MS-13’s Molinos Locos Salvatrucha clique, which has a significant presence in Massachusetts.
According to court documents, Duran was the leader of the Molinos clique, both locally in Boston and nationally in the United States. As such, he encouraged and authorized MS-13 members to commit murder, including the stabbing death of a 15-year-old boy on Constitution Beach in East Boston on September 7, 2015. Duran pleaded guilty to the murder charge as part of his plea agreement.
The investigation, which resulted in a fifth superseding indictment naming 61 individuals, revealed that MS-13 cliques in Massachusetts were responsible for six murders and approximately 20 attempted murders, as well as robberies and drug trafficking, between 2014 and 2016. MS-13 is a transnational gang with thousands of members across the United States, including a significant presence in Massachusetts.
Duran is the 35th defendant to be convicted in this case, and the sixth to be held responsible for murder. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Duran will also be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and other local law enforcement agencies. Duran is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8, 2018.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations, and the remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Duran’s guilty plea is a significant blow to MS-13’s operations in Massachusetts, and demonstrates the commitment of federal, state, and local law enforcement to dismantling the gang’s influence in the state.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts commends the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who worked on this case, and expresses gratitude to the community for its cooperation and support.
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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