MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Multiple Violent Murders

On January 24, 2022, a federal jury convicted Portillo Rodriguez of the racketeering charges, along with co-defendants Jose Joya Parada, a/k/a “Calmado,” age 21; Oscar Armando Sorto Romero, a/k/a “Lobo,” age 23; and Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” age 24, after a three-month trial.  Portillo-Rodriguez and Sandoval-Rodriguez were also convicted of multiple counts of murder in aid of racketeering.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Selwyn Smith of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Chief Jason Lando of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.

MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries.  Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland.  Portillo Rodriguez, Sandoval Rodriguez, and Joya Parada were members of the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (“FLS”) clique.  Co-defendant Oscar Sorto Romero was part of the Parque Vista Locos Salvatruchas (“PVLS”) clique.

The evidence at trial established that between 2015 and 2017, Portillo Rodriguez and his co-defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering, drug trafficking, extortion, murder, and brutal acts of violence against suspected rivals of the gang in an effort to increase MS-13’s power in the Frederick County, Montgomery County, and Anne Arundel County areas of Maryland.

At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons.  To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence.  MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.”  One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.

MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members.  Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.

As detailed during the trial, from 2015 through 2017, the Fulton clique of MS-13 sought to increase its presence in Frederick, Wheaton, and Annapolis, Maryland through numerous acts of violence, extortion, and drug sales.  Trial evidence focused on the defendants’ participation in at least four grisly murders of those suspected of association with rival gang members carried out in 2017.

Trial evidence related to Portillo Rodriguez focused on his participation in several murders including the murder of a 17-year-old victim on March 31, 2017.  During this murder, Portillo Rodriguez, Sandoval Rodriguez, Joya Parada, and other gang members lured Victim 1 to an Annapolis, Maryland park where they stabbed Victim 1 to death and subsequently dismembered Victim 1.   After murdering Victim 1 and removing the victim’s heart, the defendants buried the body, disposed of the evidence, and smoked marijuana to celebrate the murder.  As a result of their participation in the murder of Victim 1, certain gang members were promoted within MS-13.

On June 24, 2017, Portillo Rodriguez participated in the murder of Victim 2, a female victim MS-13 members believed to have been associated with a rival gang.  Portillo Rodriguez aided in the planning of the murder and helped lure Victim 2 into a car with another MS-13 member and a female associate.  Victim 2 believed she was meeting the female associate for a date.  After Victim 2 entered the vehicle, another MS-13 member stopped the car and allowed Portillo Rodiguez and another MS-13 gang member to enter on both sides of the vehicle to trap Victim 2 in the middle.  Portillo Rodriguez and others then forced Victim 2 onto the backseat floor at knifepoint.   Eventually, the MS-13 members took Victim 2 to a wooded area in Crownsville, Maryland where MS-13 members caused Victim 2 to lose consciousness, removed Victim 2’s clothing, and decapitated Victim 2 with a machete.  Portillo Rodriguez and Sandoval Rodriguez participated in the murder by stabbing and slashing the victim’s body with a machete, dismembering the body, and burying the body in a wooded area.  As a result of their participation in the murder of Victim 2, Portillo Rodriguez, Sandoval Rodriguez, and other gang members were promoted within MS-13.

Additionally, on August 5, 2017, Portillo Rodriguez and Sorto Romero participated in the planning and murder of Victim 3 at an Annapolis, Maryland park.  After Victim 3 was lured to the park, Victim 3 was hit on the head with a hammer and slashed with a machete until he died.  The evidence presented at trial revealed that the victim was a low-level member of MS-13 suspected of warning one of his relatives, who was believed to be a member of a rival gang, that he was an MS-13 target.

More than 30 MS-13 gang members and associates have been convicted in this and a related case.

On April 20, 2022, Chief Judge Bredar sentenced Jose Joya Parada, a/k/a “Calmado,” age 20, to 50 years in federal prison, for a racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, and related violent crimes in aid of racketeering.  Oscar Sorto Romero was sentenced to life in federal prison on May 6, 2022, for a racketeering conspiracy and for racketeering, as well as related violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including two murders.  Sandoval Rodriguez faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2022, at 3:30 p.m.