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Murder

18th Street Gang Members Indicted for Conspiracy to Participate in Racketeering Enterprise

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Members of the 18th Street Gang, a notorious transnational organized crime group, have been charged with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, which engaged in murder, armed robbery, and obstruction of justice. The indictment, announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, targets 10 alleged members of the gang, including Mario Molina-Valladares, Edgar Mauricio Rogel Vasquez, and Omar Rafael Villegas-Martinez, who are accused of participating in a conspiracy that spanned across Maryland and Washington, D.C. The gang, which originated in Los Angeles, operates in Central America and across the United States, with subsets called cliques that enforce rules, including attacking and killing rival gang members.

Key Takeaways:

  • The 18th Street Gang, a transnational organized crime group, has been charged with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise that engaged in murder, armed robbery, and obstruction of justice.
  • Ten alleged members of the gang, including Mario Molina-Valladares, Edgar Mauricio Rogel Vasquez, and Omar Rafael Villegas-Martinez, have been indicted for conspiring to obstruct a criminal investigation and proceeding, as well as obstructing a criminal investigation and proceeding.
  • The gang operates in Central America and across the United States, with subsets called cliques that enforce rules, including attacking and killing rival gang members.
  • Members of the gang have been accused of participating in various crimes, including the murder of three individuals in Maryland and two individuals in Washington, D.C., armed robberies, and obstruction of justice.
  • The defendants face a range of maximum sentences, including life in prison for racketeering conspiracy and up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and proceeding.
  • The case was facilitated by the Regional Area Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Task Force, composed of law enforcement agencies from the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, and the Maryland National Capital Park Police - Prince George's County Division.

Statistics:

  • 18 members of the 18th Street Gang have been identified as being involved in the racketeering conspiracy.
  • The gang has been accused of engaging in 6 murders, including the murder of 3 individuals in Maryland and 2 individuals in Washington, D.C.
  • The indictment charges members with 10 counts of racketeering conspiracy, including conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and proceeding, obstruction of a criminal investigation, and obstruction of a criminal proceeding.
  • 4 of the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for racketeering conspiracy, while 2 others face a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and proceeding.

Sources:

  • United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland
  • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) - Baltimore Field Division
  • Gaithersburg Police Department
  • Prince George's County Police Department
  • Montgomery County Police Department
  • Metropolitan Police Department
  • FBI
  • Regional Area Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Task Force
  • Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office
  • Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office
  • District of Columbia U.S. Attorney's Office

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