Three men received life sentences, today, for federal conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murders, attempted murders, and drug trafficking, as well as murder in aid of racketeering charges. Wilson Arturo “Humilde” “Marco Saravia” Constanza-Galdomez, 26, of El Salvador; Edis Omar “Little Felon” Valenzuela-Rodriguez, 24, of Honduras; and Jonathan “Truney” Pesquera-Puerto, 24, all received the mandatory sentence.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentences with Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, Justice Department, Criminal Division; Acting Assistant Director Rebecca Day, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office.
This case targeted the violent activities of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Central America, with members operating in Maryland and throughout the United States. MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. The defendants, all MS-13 members and associates, were required to commit acts of violence to increase their status and rank within the gang. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MS-13 maintained a rivalry with the 18th Street Gang, among others.
“These ruthless individuals displayed a total lack of humanity and regard for life, including murdering a 16-year-old girl, all to advance their standing within a transnational criminal organization. Now they’ll spend the rest of their lives behind bars where they belong,” Hayes said. “We, along with our law-enforcement partners, are committed to dismantling the MS-13 gang, and other lawless organizations, and holding criminals accountable who thrive on committing murders and terrorizing our communities.”
“These defendants committed brutal violence — including murdering and stabbing young women and girls — to fuel their respective climbs up the MS-13 organization,” Galeotti said. “These acts, often carried out with machetes, spread fear and terror throughout the community. As today’s life sentences reflect, the Criminal Division will be relentless in its pursuit of MS-13 leaders, members and associates, to restore a sense of safety and security to neighborhoods throughout the United States.”
“The horrific acts of violence carried out by these MS-13 members are indefensible and demonstrates a complete disregard for human life,” Day said. “The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to relentlessly pursue members and associates of MS-13 and obtain justice for the victims of their crimes.”
“No measure of justice will equal the weight of their crimes, but their life sentences mean these ruthless killers will never be free again,” Paul said. “I am thankful for the hard work and collaboration between the local police, federal investigators and prosecutors which ultimately brought about all three arrests and convictions for these brutal crimes.”
Constanza-Galdomez and Pesquera-Puerto were members or associates of the Carlington Locos Salvatrucha (CALS) clique, and Valenzuela-Rodriguez was a member of the Huntington Criminales Locos Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique. From June 2019 through at least October 2021, the defendants participated in the racketeering activities of MS-13, including two murders, four attempted murders, and witness tampering.
On April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to assault a man whom they suspected was a rival gang member. That same day, they assaulted the victim in Baltimore by striking him with machetes multiple times, causing injuries to the victim’s face and arm. Afterward, those involved reported the incident to MS-13 leadership in El Salvador to gain credit and increase their status.
Then on May 29, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other members and associates of MS-13 lured a 16-year-old girl whom they suspected of associating with rival gang members, to an area near Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville, Maryland. There they struck her with a machete and stabbed her multiple times, murdering her. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
On June 5, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates lured another female, whom they suspected was a rival gang member that cooperated with law enforcement, to an area near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. There, the gang stabbed her 143 times, killing her and leaving her body near the train tracks. They again reported the murder to MS-13 leadership.
Then on June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other MS-13 members and associates confronted a man, who had prior confrontations with the gang, and his girlfriend, the sister of one of the prior murder victims. Constanza-Galdomez and other members and associates ordered younger members to bring the female victim to the same train tracks where her sister was murdered. The younger members stabbed her over 70 times. All three defendants stabbed the male victim multiple times. Both victims survived the attacks.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore County Police Department, Baltimore City Police Department, and United States Marshal’s Service for their work in the investigation, along with the offices of Ivan J. Bates, Baltimore City State’s Attorney, and Scott Shellenberger, Baltimore County State’s Attorney, for their valuable assistance with this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James Wallner, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Chrisopher Taylor, Justice Department – Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
