Federal Law Enforcement Helps Take Down MS-13 Unit in California
Federal law enforcement in Northern California helped put two members of the dangerous MS-13 gang behind bars.
29-year-old Erick Escalante-Torres was sentenced to nearly 28 years in prison while 34-year-old Jose Noe Ramirez-Avelar received a 22-year sentence. Both pleaded guilty to various charges including conspiracy to commit murder and racketeering conspiracy.
According to court documents, Escalante-Torres, also known as “Deceptico” or “Problematico” and Ramirez-Avelar, also known as “Cheptio” or “Sparky” were involved with MS-13 in the Santa Cruz area from 2015 to 2017.
Prosecutors said the pair were among several MS-13 members who plotted the murder of a man they believed to be associated with the rival 18th Street gang in 2016.
After receiving approval from MS-13 leaders in El Salvador, the group started watching the victim, and fatally shot him on September 22, 2016. Prosecutors say the victim was not actually affiliated with the rival gang.
“Defendants engaged in murder and other violent crimes to carry out the goals of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization. Their ruthless actions threatened public safety in Santa Cruz,” said United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey of the Northern District of California. “With these sentences, we are sending a strong message to gang members that these crimes will be fully investigated and prosecuted, and justice will be served.”
Both defendants were also involved in other gang shootings including a July 2016 shooting involving rival gang members.
"This case illustrates the direct threat transnational gang activity is to our communities and the indiscriminate and needless devastation it brings to innocent families," said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent Charge Tatum King.
In addition to Escalante-Torres and Ramirez-Avelar, ten other members of the Santa Cruz clique have been convicted and sentenced for their involvement in criminal activity as members of the gang.