Five members of MS-13 were convicted for a series of brutal murders intended to boost their status within the gang, according to a recent announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The verdict comes after a nine-week trial, where evidence showed the group engaged in violence that included strangulation, shootings, stabbings with knives and a machete, and beatings with a baseball bat, with some bodies discarded off cliffs or down hills in the Angeles National Forest.
The defendants, Walter Chavez Larin, Roberto Alejandro Corado Ortiz, and Edwin Martinez, were convicted of RICO conspiracy, with additional counts of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder for Chavez and Corado, and three counts for Martinez. Bryan Alexander Rosales Arias and Erick Eduardo Rosales Arias were also found guilty of VICAR murder. "We thank the jury for returning swift guilty verdicts against these MS-13 criminals who engaged in horrific acts of violence and murder," First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli stated.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi highlighted the government's commitment to combating the gang's influence, saying, "Under President Trump, MS-13 can no longer unleash terror on the American people with impunity: We will eradicate this foreign terrorist organization and secure justice for its victims." These recent convictions mark a stark milestone in the ongoing efforts to dismantle the violent reach of MS-13, known for its ruthless enforcement of gang rules and territorial control.
The victims, perceived as rivals or violators of MS-13's strict codes, were mercilessly targeted. The trial shed light on the dangerous ethos of MS-13 Los Angeles cliques, which promote murder and extreme violence as means of ascendancy within the gang, the FBI's Assistant Director in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office, Akil Davis, noted. "The defendants in this case carried out barbaric attacks on their victims to simply enhance their ranking within the gang," he said.
The successful prosecution is a product of a collaborative law enforcement effort, involving the FBI, LAPD, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell praised the teamwork that led to the convictions, emphasizing the city's resilience against gang violence. A sentiment echoed by Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna, who commended the message sent by the verdicts: that gang violence won't be tolerated in the community. Sentencing for the defendants is scheduled for July 2026, where they will face mandatory life imprisonment as decreed by United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II.
While this trial concludes, the fight against MS-13 continues with several other members poised to face trial in April 2026 for charges related to racketeering conspiracy and gang murders. The collaborative enforcement and prosecutorial efforts thus far have resulted in 25 convictions in this overarching case, to thwart the operations of this notorious gang and offer some closure to the affected families.
