BALTIMORE, MD—Two Maryland MS-13 gang members have been indicted for murder in aid of racketeering, federal authorities announced.
Manuel Erazo Alvarado, 46, and Erick Guillen Pleitez, 46, both of Annapolis, were charged in a federal grand jury indictment returned on February 13, according to the Department of Justice.
On March 6, 2025, Guillen Pleitez made his initial appearance in the United States District Court in Baltimore, Maryland, a day after Erazo Alvarado’s initial appearance.
Authorities say MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in Maryland and throughout the U.S.
In 2017, both men were members or associates of MS-13 in Maryland and engaged in narcotics distribution, collected extortion payments, and engaged in acts of violence, prosecutors said.
On August 29, 2017, prosecutors claim both participated in a murder to maintain and boost their gang positions.
If convicted, the defendants face either life in prison or death.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and TCOs, and protect communities from violent crime.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore, and Anne Arundel County Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and James Hammond, along with Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoff and Amanda Kotula of the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels
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