An alleged MS-13 member is accused of helping fellow gang members flee from the scene of a 2009 murder of a pimp in Alexandria by driving the getaway car and remaining with the vehicle after crashing it, to let the killers evade police.
Carlos Mauricio Lovo Torres drove with convicted murderers Eris Ramon Arguera and Adolfo Amaya Portillo to an apartment building on the 700 block of Manor Road in Alexandria on July 29, 2009, according to charging documents filed in federal court in Alexandria. There, Arguera, Amaya Portillo and Alcides Umana killed Claros Luna during an extortion attempt, and authorities say Lovo Torres helped them escape.
He has been charged with accessory after the fact, which means he is accused of “assisting offenders in order to hinder and prevent their apprehension.”
Court records say the gang members demanded that Luna pay “rent” for his prostitution activities in the area. During an altercation, Luna was shot to death.
Lovo Torres and another MS-13 member were waiting in Lovo Torres’ vehicle, and fled with Arguera and Amaya Portillo after the slaying, according to court documents. After a short distance, Lovo Torres rear-ended another vehicle.
“Lovo Torres was driving frantic because of what had just happened,” the documents say.
He stayed at the scene of the accident while the other gang members fled to avoid interacting with law enforcement, court records say.
An FBI affidavit says Lovo Torres was shown photographs of Amaya Portillo, Arguera and Umana in a June 2010 interview and denied knowing them. He also denied being a member of MS-13 or any other gang.
A public defender will be appointed for Lovo Torres, but none was listed Friday in court records.
Lovo Torres is a legal permanent resident from El Salvador. Authorities say that at one time he was the leader of the Park View Locos Salvatrucha clique, a division of MS-13 that operates in Northern Virginia, Maryland and D.C.
Lovo Torres was arrested Thursday in Arlington. He is in custody pending further court proceedings. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Amaya Portillo, Arguera and Umana have all pleaded guilty to their roles in Luna’s slaying.
