In a significant expansion of an ongoing case against the MS-13 gang in Baltimore, federal prosecutors have charged two additional members with involvement in a series of violent crimes, including four murders and two attempted murders. As stated in a recent report by FOX Baltimore, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland disclosed the superseding indictment, which ramps up the pressure on the gang's Centrales Locos Salvatruchas (CLS) clique.
The charged individuals are accused of partaking in a racketeering conspiracy that dates back to at least 2023, said the prosecutors. These activities include murder, narcotics distribution, and extortion. The indictment names Manuel Alexander "Snappy" "23" Lara Morales, 25, of El Salvador, as the chief of the CLS clique, with Eliseo Alexander "10" "Zorro" and "Terrible" Lopez Alvarez, 23, also from El Salvador, described as his deputy, according to court documents obtained by CBS News Baltimore. The two are alleged to have orchestrated the murder of a gang associate on September 4, 2023, after a drug dispute had surfaced.
The body of the victim was discovered after five days, hidden within a wooded area in southeast Baltimore, and it is alleged by the indictment that this gruesome act led to the formal induction of gang members Kevin "Mickey" "Gemelo" Cuestas, 21, and Olvin Josue "Elevado" Posas Alvarenga, 23, both from Honduras. This would not be their last involvement in violence, as further charges suggest an attempted murder in October 2023 against an individual set to testify in court.
Previous atrocities linked to the gang include a November 2023 incident where members lured a victim into the woods using a fake Instagram account and executed them. "In March 2024, Cuestas and Riva Salvador allegedly shot and killed a person in South Baltimore before they fled in a getaway car," reports CBS News Baltimore. Additionally, April of the same year witnessed a double shooting in Southeast Baltimore, orchestrated by alleged CLS members, which resulted in one dead and another injured.
Authorities, while unveiling the indictment, have emphasized that these charges are merely allegations and not indicative of guilt unless proven in court. Thusly, they urge anyone with relevant information on MS-13 activities to come forward. Tips can be directed to the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 or to Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
