Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Today, a federal jury in Maryland convicted three men, Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, also known as Humilde and Marco Saravia, 26, of El Salvador, Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, also known as Little Felon, 24, of Honduras, and Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, also known as Truney, 24, of Honduras; for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murders, attempted murders, and drug trafficking, as well as murder in aid of racketeering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members and associates of La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Central America, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. The defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, were required to commit acts of violence to increase their status and rank within the gang. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MS-13 maintained a rivalry with the 18th Street Gang, among others.
“Over the course of a few short months, these defendants – seeking to be promoted within the ranks of the designated foreign terrorist organization MS-13 – spread fear through the streets of Baltimore by committing brutal and heinous acts, including the murder of two young women,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to prosecuting MS-13 members to the fullest extent of the law in order to eradicate the transnational street gang, obtain a measure of justice for their victims, and restore the safety and security of our communities.”
“The MS-13 gang continues to show a total disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “These defendants’ commitment to carrying out multiple vicious attacks and murders, including the killing a 16-year-old girl, is unconscionable. Members of this ruthless, international gang thrive on murdering and terrorizing others, and in this case, did so to advance their standing within this lawless organization. We, along with our law-enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who commit these despicable crimes and dismantling the violent criminal organizations that terrorize our communities.”
“The defendants convicted today engaged in excessive and brutal violence as members of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization that routinely shows contempt for the rule of law,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “We are proud of the work that has taken these individuals off the streets so that they can no longer harm the community of the greater Baltimore area, and we will continue our nationwide efforts in thwarting MS-13.”
Constanza-Galdomez and Pesquera-Puerto were members or associates of the Carlington Locos Salvatrucha (CALS) clique, and Valenzuela-Rodriguez was a member of the Huntington Criminales Locos Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique. From June 2019 through at least October 2021, the defendants participated in the racketeering activities of MS-13, including two murders, four attempted murders, drug trafficking offenses, and witness tampering.
On April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to assault a man whom they suspected was a rival gang member. That same day, they allegedly assaulted the victim in Baltimore by striking him with machetes multiple times, causing injuries to the victim’s face and arm.
On May 29, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other members and associates of MS-13 lured Gabriela Gonzalez-Ardon, a 16-year-old girl whom they suspected of associating with rival gang members, to an area near Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville, Maryland. There the defendants and other members and associates of MS-13 struck her with a machete and stabbed her multiple times, murdering her. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
On June 5, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates lured Michelle Tenezaca, whom they suspected was a rival gang member that cooperated with law enforcement, to an area near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. There the gang stabbed her 143 times, killing her and leaving her body near the train tracks. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
Photograph of MS-13 graffiti near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland
In June 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13, conspired to murder a man who had disputes with the gang. Therefore, on June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates confronted the man and his girlfriend, the sister of one of the homicide victims, at a library in Baltimore, Maryland. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then ordered younger members of the gang to take the woman to an area near the train tracks where Michelle Tenezaca was killed. The younger members of the gang then stabbed the woman over 70 times. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then forced the male, at knifepoint to go to Dundalk, Maryland to murder him. The defendants then attempted to murder the man by stabbing him multiple times with knives. Both victims survived the attacks.
Constanza-Galdomez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Valenzuela-Rodriguez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Pesquera-Puerto was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and one count of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes made the announcement, and also thank Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger for their offices’ assistance in the case.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Chrisopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Wallner for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.