Maryland MS-13 Gang Members Indicted for Murder in Aid of Racketeering

A federal grand jury has indicted two alleged members of the MS-13 gang in Maryland on charges of Murder in Aid of Racketeering. Manuel Erazo Alvarado, also known as “Castigo,” and Erick Guillen Pleitez, known as “Kilo,” both of Annapolis, Maryland, were charged in connection with a 2017 killing linked to their gang activities. The indictment was issued on February 13, 2025, with both defendants making their initial court appearances in Baltimore this month.

According to court documents, MS-13 is an international criminal organization with members operating in Maryland and across the United States. Prosecutors allege that in 2017, Erazo Alvarado and Guillen Pleitez were involved in drug distribution, extortion, and violent acts to maintain their standing in the gang. On August 29, 2017, the defendants allegedly participated in the murder of an individual as part of their role in the organization. If convicted, they face a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty.

The case was announced by officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Annapolis Police Department, and the Maryland State Police. The investigation is being handled by the FBI, HSI, and Anne Arundel County Police, with assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and James Hammond, along with Trial Attorneys Matthew Hoff and Amanda Kotula from the Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Justice Department initiative targeting transnational criminal organizations, drug cartels, and gang-related violence. It also falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which focuses on dismantling high-level criminal networks.

Additionally, the prosecution aligns with the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, which aims to reduce violent crime through strategic enforcement and community partnerships. The Justice Department has encouraged anyone with information about MS-13 to report tips through the FBI or HSI.

An indictment is not a determination of guilt, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.

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