The Justice Department has charged one MS-13 gang member with terrorism, and another is facing the death penalty as a result of a joint task force initiative cracking down on the violent criminal organization.
“In 2017, the President directed the Department of Justice to go to war against MS-13, and we did just that,” Attorney General William Barr said in a press release Wednesday, summarizing the work of Joint Task Force Vulcan. “In coordination with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department’s law enforcement components have successfully investigated, charged, and arrested command-and-control elements of MS-13 responsible for murder. Joint Task Force Vulcan’s operations have significantly degraded MS-13 capabilities. While there is still work to be done, the Department of Justice remains committed to protecting Americans threatened by MS-13, and we will not rest until we have successfully defeated this transnational criminal organization.”
An unsealed indictment reveals that suspected MS-13 gang member Melgar Diaz was charged in Virginia with providing material support to terrorists, conspiring to kill or maim person overseas, conspiring to finance terrorism and other terror-related charges. This is the first time an MS-13 member has been charged with terrorism-related offenses, according to the press release.
Another MS-13 member, Alexi Saenz, was indicted for seven murders, including one instance in which he allegedly used a machete and baseball bat. The attorney general has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for those crimes.
Another unsealed indictment shows that eight MS-13 members were charged with 24 counts of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, narcotics, and firearm offenses.
“In August 2019, Attorney General Barr created JTFV to carry out the recommendations of the MS-13 subcommittee formed under the Attorney General’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, which was the result of President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order directing the Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to coordinate a whole-of-government approach to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, such as MS-13, and restore safety for the American people. The principal purpose of JTFV is to coordinate and lead the efforts of the Justice Department and U.S. law enforcement agencies against MS-13 in order to dismantle the group,” the press release added.
President Trump touted the news of the crackdown’s results Wednesday, calling it a “historic operation” to arrest and indict “dozens of savage MS-13 members.”
President @realDonaldTrump: “We’ve just concluded a historic operation leading to the arrest and indictment of dozens of savage MS-13 members and leaders all across the country.” pic.twitter.com/vnVfiAjYra
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 15, 2020
