William Pineda Portillo, MS-13 RICO Conspiracy, Massachusetts 2017

MS-13 Fugitive Arrested in Texas After Years of Eluding Authorities

A notorious MS-13 member, William Pineda Portillo, also known as 'Humilde,' was arrested in Texas on May 10, 2022, after evading capture for years. Portillo was charged with one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, also known as RICO conspiracy, in federal court in Boston in 2017.

The MS-13 gang, known for its brutal tactics and transnational reach, operates throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. According to court documents, MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence against rival gang members, kill informants, and support and defend fellow MS-13 members in attacks. Those who commit acts of violence are rewarded with promotions within the gang, while those who break gang rules face punishment.

Portillo was identified as a member of the Trece Loco Salvatrucha, or TLS MS-13 clique, which operated in and around Somerville, Mass. After an arrest warrant was issued for Portillo, agents discovered that he had been deported to El Salvador under a different name.

On May 9, 2022, federal agents encountered Portillo near Roma, Texas, and determined that he had previously been deported and was wanted on the outstanding arrest warrant for the RICO conspiracy charge. Portillo made an initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas and was ordered detained pending his return to U.S. District Court in Boston.

The charge of RICO conspiracy carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

William Pineda Portillo, also known as 'Humilde,' was charged with one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, also known as RICO conspiracy, in federal court in Boston in 2017. He faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/ms-13-fugitive-arrested-texas