Jury Convicts Five MS-13 Members In L.A. Amid FBI Crackdown

A Los Angeles jury has found five members of the violent international gang Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) guilty of six grisly murders carried out to advance their standing within the criminal organization, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.

The murders, described by prosecutors as acts of pure savagery, involved victims being strangled, shot, stabbed with knives or machetes, and beaten with baseball bats before some of the bodies were dumped in remote areas of the Angeles National Forest, the DOJ reported.

After a nine-week trial, the jury convicted Walter Chavez Larin (26), Roberto Alejandro Corado Ortiz (30), and Edwin Martinez (28) of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act). Chavez and Corado were each found guilty of two counts of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder, while Martinez was convicted on three counts. Brothers Bryan Alexander Rosales Arias (28) and Erick Eduardo Rosales Arias (27), both of South Los Angeles, were each convicted of one count of VICAR murder.

The verdicts come amid a renewed and aggressive federal crackdown on transnational gangs under President Donald J. Trump’s second-term administration, led by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Deputy Director Dan Bongino.

“We thank the jury for returning swift guilty verdicts against these MS-13 criminals who engaged in horrific acts of violence and murder,” said Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “I thank and commend our law enforcement partners for their work in removing members of this terrorist organization from our streets.

“MS-13 is a violent, brutal gang that must be eliminated from the United States, and we will not stop until we succeed in our mission,” he added.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the convictions, calling them another victory in the administration’s fight to eradicate MS-13 from American soil.

“The horrific violence in this case underscores the urgency of destroying MS-13 and putting its depraved members behind bars,” Bondi said. “Under President Trump, MS-13 can no longer unleash terror on the American people with impunity: We will eradicate this foreign terrorist organization and secure justice for its victims.”

Evidence presented at trial revealed that the murders targeted rival 18th Street gang members and individuals accused of violating MS-13’s internal codes. Prosecutors said the Los Angeles MS-13 cliques maintained a hierarchy rooted in terror, requiring members to commit murder and extreme brutality to rise through the ranks.

“Cases such as this one serve as a reminder that MS-13 has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization,” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendants in this case carried out barbaric attacks on their victims to simply enhance their ranking within the gang. I’m proud of the hard work that went into this trial by agents and prosecutors which resulted in a guilty verdict and a measure of justice for the victims, and which will effectively remove murderers and terrorists from Los Angeles communities.”

Local law enforcement leaders echoed the DOJ’s stance, emphasizing unity in the mission to protect Americans from violent gang activity.

“The brutality of these crimes is a stark reminder of the importance of our shared mission: to protect the people of Los Angeles from those who seek to do harm,” said LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. “Their dedication has brought justice to the victims and sent a clear message — we will not tolerate this kind of violence in our city.”

“These convictions send a powerful message that criminal gang violence and intimidation have no place in Los Angeles County,” added Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “Through the tireless efforts of our local and federal partners, we have brought justice to the victims’ families and held these individuals accountable for their brutal crimes.”

The convictions mark another milestone in President Trump’s law-and-order agenda, which prioritizes the dismantling of foreign criminal organizations, the protection of American communities, and the restoration of public safety through decisive federal enforcement.