Maryland MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 33 Years in Federal Prison for a Violent Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murder and Extortion

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Noe Coreas-Mejia, a/k/a “Tsunami,” age 22, of Hyattsville, Maryland, today to 33 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Acting Chief Russell E. Hamill, III of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

“We will not tolerate the violence perpetrated by MS-13 in Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Today’s sentence sends a strong message to MS-13 gang members that federal, state, and local law enforcement will continue to work together to find and bring to justice MS-13 members who commit these heinous crimes.”

MS-13 is a gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Frederick County, and throughout the United States.  Branches or “cliques” of MS-13 often work together cooperatively as “Programs,” with the purpose of increasing the gang’s levels of organization, violence, extortion, and other criminal activity, and to assist one another in avoiding detection by law enforcement.  In Maryland and the surrounding area, these cliques include Parkview Locos Salvatrucha (“PVLS”), Normandie Locos Salvatrucha (“NLS” or “Normandie”), Sailors Locos Salvatrucha Westside (“SLSW” or “Sailors”), Langley Park Salvatrucha (“LPS”), Weedoms Locos Salvatrucha (“Weedoms”), and Cabanas Locos Salvatruchas (“Cabanas”).  A person within the participating cliques is selected as the Program leader.

To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members and associates are expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who show disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence.  MS-13’s creed is based on one of its mottos, “Mata, roba, viola, controla,” which translates to, “kill, steal, rape, control.”

According to his plea agreement, beginning in 2015, Coreas-Mejia was a member of the Parkview clique.  Coreas-Mejia admitted that he conspired with other MS-13 members and associates to participate in numerous acts in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, including extortion and murder. 

As detailed in his plea agreement, in 2015, Coreas-Mejia and other members and associates of MS-13 extorted persons conducting business in the Langley Park area of Prince George’s County, by demanding cash payments, known as “rent.”  

According to his plea agreement, in November 2015, Coreas-Mejia and other MS-13 members and associates held a disciplinary procedure for an MS-13 member, called a “court.”  During the “court,” the individual was beaten for approximately 13 seconds.  The victim reported the assault to law enforcement, which resulted in criminal charges being filed against Coreas-Mejia and other MS-13 members and associates. In retaliation, Coreas-Mejia planned to murder the victim, and directed two MS-13 members from the Parkview clique to assist.

Coreas-Mejia admitted that on December 16, 2015, he and other MS-13 members and associates lured the victim to a secluded area beneath the 495 overpass in the Silver Spring area of Montgomery County, purportedly for Coreas-Mejia to speak with the victim concerning the victim’s reporting of the “court” proceeding to law enforcement.  A co-conspirator met the victim and walked with him to the secluded location, where Coreas-Mejia and the second co-conspirator were waiting.  Coreas-Mejia and his two co-conspirators attacked the victim, stabbing him multiple times and hitting him with large stones.  The victim attempted to get away and ran into a stream.  Coreas-Mejia and at least one co-conspirator continued to hit the victim with stones until the victim collapsed unconscious in the stream.  Coreas-Mejia and his co-conspirators left the victim submerged in the stream, where the victim died.   

Law enforcement found the victim’s body, still submerged in the stream, on December 22, 2015.  According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was drowning, multiple blunt-force injuries, and multiple sharp-force injuries.

Co-defendants Jose Augustin Salmeron-Larios, a/k/a “Joseph Morales-Martinez,” “Angel Salvador Gutierrez,” “Yankee,” and “Kean,” age 26, of Severn, Maryland; Juan Carlos Espinal-Rapalo, a/k/a “Chiki,” age 21; Daniel Adonai Ramos-Romero, a/k/a “Romero Taylor Binga,” “Taylor Romero,” and “Binga,” age 22; and Oscar Delgado-Perez, a/k/a “Complicado” and “Indio,” age 26, all of Gaithersburg, Maryland, have pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy and other charges related to their MS-13 gang activity.  They remain detained as they await sentencing.  

Co-defendant Kevin Henriquez-Chavez, a/k/a “Loco” and “Crazy,” age 24, of Washington Grove, Maryland, also pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA; HSI Baltimore, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur also recognized the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County Departments of Corrections, HSI Baltimore’s Operation Community Shield Task Force, and the Maryland Department of Corrections Intelligence Unit for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William D. Moomau, Ray D. McKenzie, Catherine K. Dick, and Burden H. Walker who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

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