U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement press release...
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested six suspected MS-13 gang members at a number of locations in San Francisco, Daly City, Mountain View, Menlo Park, and South San Francisco on March 12.
During the arrests, HSI special agents recovered two handguns with ammunition. They also recovered a machete, which is known as a weapon of choice for MS-13 gang members.
The investigation led to 17 Bay Area residents being indicted by a federal grand jury for a broad range of racketeering crimes including RICO conspiracy, attempted murder, and assault. The superseding indictment handed down Feb. 18 and unsealed today catalogues a litany of crimes allegedly perpetrated in and around the Mission District of San Francisco, according to U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson.
"San Francisco continues to suffer from gang violence and gang claims on our public spaces," said Anderson. "I am grateful to the men and women of Homeland Security Investigations and the San Francisco Police Department for their professionalism and teamwork as we oppose gang activity with skillful law enforcement and vigorous prosecutions. San Francisco is safer when we all work together."
According to the indictment, the defendants are members of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization. MS-13 has over 10,000 members regularly conducting gang activities in at least 20 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in other nations, including Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. In the United States, MS-13 is one of the largest street gangs.
Listed in the superseding indictment are dates on which particular defendants allegedly committed crimes to further the purposes of the gang. For example, the indictment alleges that on Sept. 16, 2016, defendants Alexis Cruz Zepeda, a.k.a. Zorro, and Kevin Reyes Melendez, a.k.a. Neutron, fired shots at a suspected gang rival. Cruz Zepeda and Reyes Melendez then fled the scene in a vehicle allegedly driven by Ronaldy Dominguez, a.k.a. "Smokey," who, after a high-speed chase, evaded police by driving the wrong way down the Vermont Street off-ramp of Highway 101. The victim suffered five gunshot entry and exit wounds but survived. Similarly, the superseding indictment alleges that on Nov. 26, 2017, when MS-13 gang members attempted to extort cash and drugs from street dealers, defendant Elmer Rodriguez, a.k.a. Gordo, shot a victim in the chest at close range with a 12-gauge shotgun.
In all, the superseding indictment charges 10 crimes of violence allegedly perpetrated by the defendants. The charges pending against each defendant are as follows:
-Rogelio Belloso Aleman (a.k.a. "Smiley") Age: 26 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
-Edwin Alvarado Amaya (a.k.a. "Muerte") Age: 22 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering
-Fernando Romero Bonilla (a.k.a. "Black") Age: 22 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
-Kenneth Campos (a.k.a. "Nesio") Age: 30 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (two counts)
-Evert Galdamez Cisneros (a.k.a. "Talentoso")
Age: 22 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
-Luis Velis Diaz (a.k.a. "Popa") Age: 21 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
-Ronaldy Dominguez (a.k.a. "Smokey") Age: 24 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (two counts)
-Oscar Espinal (a.k.a. "Chuy") Age: 29 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering
-Wilfredo Iraheta Landaverde (a.k.a. "Wally") Age: 20 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy
-Kevin Reyes Melendez (a.k.a. "Neutron") Age: 26 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Discharge of a Firearm During and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
-Missael Mendoza Age: 19 Charge(s): Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (two counts)
-Christian Quintanilla Age: 19 Charge(s): Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (two counts)
-Kevin Guatemala Zepeda (a.k.a. "Mision") Age: 23 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering
-Elmer Rodriguez (a.k.a. "Gordo") Age: 30 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Discharge of a Firearm During and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence
-Marvin Osegueda Saravia (a.k.a. "Chiquis")
Age: 19 Charge(s): Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering (two counts)
-Alexis Cruz Zepeda (a.k.a. "Zorro") Age: 26 Charge(s): Racketeering Conspiracy, Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering, Discharge of a Firearm During and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence