Home / Crime and Justice / MS-13 Convicted in Nine Killings Spanning Las Vegas, LA
MS-13 Convicted in Nine Killings Spanning Las Vegas, LA
30 Jun
Summary
- Three MS-13 members convicted in federal racketeering case.
- Convictions linked to nine murders between 2017 and 2018.
- Defendants face mandatory life in prison without parole.
Three alleged MS-13 gang members were found guilty in a federal racketeering trial concerning nine murders. The violence occurred between 2017 and 2018, impacting both Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Jose Luis Reynaldo Reyes-Castillo, David Arturo Perez-Manchame, and Joel Vargas-Escobar now face a mandatory life sentence without parole.
Prosecutors presented the case as evidence of a violent MS-13 clique engaged in widespread criminal activity, including murder, kidnapping, and drug trafficking. The indictment, filed in 2021, was a significant federal effort against gang violence. The defense argued against the prosecution's reliance on witnesses with potential sentencing benefits.
The jury convicted all three men on RICO conspiracy charges. Reyes-Castillo was found guilty of eight murder counts, kidnapping, attempted murder, and firearms offenses. Perez-Manchame was convicted of two murder counts and kidnapping, while Vargas-Escobar was convicted of murder and firearm charges. Sentencing is scheduled for November 10.
MS-13, founded in Los Angeles in the 1980s by Salvadoran immigrants, has expanded globally. This conviction follows other recent actions against the gang, including a lengthy sentence for an MS-13 leader in New York last year. Internationally, hundreds of alleged members are facing trials in El Salvador.
