Three MS-13 Gang Members Found Guilty of Violent Crimes

Three illegal immigrants affiliated with a notorious gang from El Salvador have been convicted for multiple violent offenses, including murder, as stated in a press release from the Department of Justice.

The convicted individuals are Jose Luis Reynaldo “Molesto” Reyes Castillo, 30, David Arturo “Helvi” Perez Manchame, 27, and Joel “Momia” Vargas Escobar, who were found guilty of involvement in at least nine murders.

“These defendants carried out terrorist activities characterized by murder, kidnapping, and brutality.”

These men hail from Honduras and El Salvador. They were charged with various serious crimes, such as conspiracy related to racketeering, attempted murder, kidnapping, and numerous offenses related to firearms.

They participated in the slayings of rival gang members across Nevada and California, sometimes resorting to kidnapping and torture of victims. In one brutal incident in December 2017, Reyes-Castillo, along with another gang member, abducted a victim in Mendota, California, and brutally killed him with a machete, disfiguring the body beyond recognition.

Another case, dating back to January 2018, saw Reyes Castillo and Vargas Escobar kidnap a victim, drive him into the desert, and execute him. Authorities believe the victims were attempting to switch allegiances to rival gangs.

In February 2018, Reyes Castillo and Perez Manchame kidnapped an individual they suspected to be part of a rival gang, based on his tattoos and attire. They reportedly stabbed him over 200 times, and his remains were found rotting in the mountains weeks later.

All three could receive life sentences when they are sentenced in November.

“These defendants committed acts of terrorism characterized by murder, kidnapping, and brutality,” remarked First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chata in a statement. “Their violent reign ends today. The Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force remains committed to tracking down violent gang members, dismantling their operations, and ensuring our communities are safe from these predators.”

The Justice Department released a photo depicting Reyes Castillo with two firearms.

FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the agency’s focus on eradicating organized crime, noting that arrests in this area have surged by 322% recently.