Prosecutors in Los Angeles have charged suspected MS-13 gang members with using the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains as sites for brutal murders. Between 2017 and 2019, authorities allege the gang killed four people in these remote areas as part of initiation rituals and to instill fear. The indictment, unsealed recently, reveals chilling details of the gang’s operations, including the use of machetes, knives, and baseball bats to kill victims. In one particularly gruesome case, a victim was stabbed 107 times, while another was disemboweled.
The federal racketeering case, which charges 22 members of the MS-13 gang, is the result of a yearlong investigation by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs. This task force includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. According to the indictment, the gang’s Fulton clique, a particularly violent subset, operated in the San Fernando Valley and required new members to commit murder to join.
The indictment highlights a March 6, 2017, incident where MS-13 members allegedly abducted a rival gang member, drove him to the Angeles National Forest, and killed him with a machete. The victim’s body was dismembered, and his remains were discarded in a canyon. This case is one of several detailed in the indictment, which accuses the gang of nearly 200 crimes, including racketeering, drug trafficking, and murder.
Federal authorities say the gang used these murders to evaluate new recruits, with extreme brutality earning respect within the gang. Some victims were targeted for trivial reasons, such as making unauthorized gang hand signs or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The indictment also notes that the gang extorted undocumented immigrants, who were often too afraid to seek help from law enforcement.
The investigation and subsequent arrests have been described as a significant blow to MS-13’s operations in Los Angeles. “We have now taken off the streets nearly two dozen people associated with the most violent arm of MS-13 in Los Angeles,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. The charges have opened a window into how MS-13 operates in the region, with cliques claiming specific neighborhoods and enforcing their control through violence.
All 22 defendants are currently in custody, with some facing the possibility of the death penalty for their alleged crimes. The prosecutors have not yet decided whether to pursue capital punishment. Meanwhile, two additional cases involving juvenile defendants are pending under seal in federal court.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to dismantle violent gangs and protect communities from their influence. The collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies has been crucial in bringing these charges and ensuring public safety. As the legal proceedings continue, authorities remain committed to disrupting MS-13’s activities and preventing further violence in the region.
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