14 high-ranking MS-13 leaders charged with terrorism offenses by US Department of Justice
CENTRAL ISLIP, Suffolk County (WABC) -- Fourteen people alleged to be the world's highest-ranking MS-13 leaders have been charged in an indictment in Central Islip, officials announced Thursday.
The Justice Department says the council of leaders, known as the Ranfla Nacional, operated as the organization's Board of Directors and directed MS-13's violence and criminal activity around the world for almost two decades.
Specifically, the indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, conspiracy to finance terrorism, and narco-terrorism conspiracy in connection with the defendants' leadership of the transnational criminal organization over the past two decades from El Salvador, the United States, Mexico and elsewhere.
"The indictment announced today is the highest-reaching and most sweeping indictment targeting MS-13 and its command and control structure in U.S. history," acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rose said. "When Attorney General (William) Barr announced the creation of (Joint Task Force Vulcan) in August 2019, he envisioned a whole-of-government approach that would combine proven prosecution tools from the past with innovative strategies designed specifically to eliminate MS-13 leadership's ability to operate the gang and direct its terrorist activity. This indictment reflects an important step toward achieving that goal. By working side-by-side with our U.S. law enforcement partners and with our partners in El Salvador, we have charged MS-13's highest-ranking leaders with operating a transnational criminal organization that utilizes terror to impose their will on neighborhoods, businesses and innocent civilians across the United States and Central America."
RELATED | Feds to seek death penalty against 2nd reputed MS-13 gang member in Brentwood murders
Authorities say 42-year-old Borromeo Enrique Henriquez, aka "Diablito de Hollywood," is widely recognized as the most powerful member of the Ranfla Nacional.
Three of the indicted defendants, 45-year-old Fredy Ivan Jandres-Parada, aka "Lucky de Park View" and "Lacky de Park View;" 42-year-old Cesar Humberto Lopez-Larios, aka "El Grenas de Stoners" and "Oso de Stoners;" 42, and 42-year-old Hugo Armando Quinteros-Mineros, aka "Flaco de Francis," remain at large and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Members of the public with information concerning their whereabouts are strongly encouraged to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) toll-free MS-13 tip line, 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at (866) 347-2423 or https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
"MS-13 is responsible for a wave of death and violence that has terrorized communities, leaving neighborhoods on Long Island and throughout the Eastern District of New York awash in bloodshed," acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said. "Even when incarcerated, the Ranfla Nacional continued to direct MS-13's global operations, recruit new members, including children, into MS-13, and orchestrate murder and mayhem around the world. Today's ground-breaking indictment seeks to demolish MS-13 by targeting its command and control structure and holding MS-13's Board of Directors accountable for their terroristic actions."
Together, FBI and HSI have offered $20,000 in rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of each of the three fugitives.
TOP NEWS | FBI: Armed protests planned in all 50 states between now and Inauguration Day
Henriquez and 10 other defendants are in custody in El Salvador, and the U.S. will explore options for their extradition to the U.S. with the government of El Salvador.
"The FBI is committed to combatting all forms of terrorism that threaten the American people as well as our international partners," FBI Director Chris Wray said. "In collaboration with our federal, state, local and international partners, we took aggressive steps to target and pursue some of the highest levels of leadership of MS-13. This operation is a clear signal to others who engage in this type of transnational criminal activity: the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice wherever they are based."
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The Defendants:
- BORROMEO ENRIQUE HENRIQUEZ ("Diablito de Hollywood") Age: 42
- ELMER CANALES-RIVERA ("Crook de Hollywood") Age: 44
- EFRAIN CORTEZ ("Tigre de Park View" and "Viejo Tigre de Park View") Age: 51
- RICARDO ALBERTO DIAZ ("Rata de Leewards" and "Mousey de Leewards") Age: 47
- EDUARDO ERAZO-NOLASCO ("Colocho de Western" and "Mustage de Western") Age: 48
- EDSON SACHARY EUFEMIA ("Speedy de Park View") Age: 46
- JOSE FERNANDEZ FLORES-CUBAS ("Cola de Western") Age: 46
- FREDY IVAN JANDRES-PARADA ("Lucky de Park View" and "Lacky de Park View") Age: 45
- LEONEL ALEXANDER LEONARDO ("El Necio de San Cocos") Age: 40
- CESAR HUMBERTO LOPEZ-LARIOS ("El Grenas de Stoners" and "Oso de Stoners") Age: 42
- JOSE LUIS MENDOZA-FIGUEROA ("Pavas de 7-11" and "Viejo Pavas de 7-11") Age: 56
- HUGO ARMANDO QUINTEROS-MINEROS ("Flaco de Francis") Age: 48 SAUL ANTONIO TURCIOS ("Trece de Teclas") Age: 42
- ARISTIDES DIONISIO UMANZOR ("Sirra de Teclas") Age: 42
(Information from the U.S. Department of Justice)
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
