Three MS-13 Members Convicted in Brutal Racketeering Enterprise, Including Two Murders in Maryland

A federal jury has convicted three men on charges stemming from their involvement in a violent racketeering enterprise, including conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking. The convictions of Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, all identified as members or associates of the transnational criminal organization MS-13, were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. The verdict signifies a significant law enforcement effort to dismantle a gang known for its extreme violence and terror tactics within the Baltimore area and beyond.

The defendants, hailing from El Salvador and Honduras, were found to be part of MS-13 cliques operating in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Evidence presented at trial indicated that from June 2019 to at least October 2021, these individuals engaged in a pattern of criminal activity, including two murders, four attempted murders, drug trafficking, and witness tampering. The prosecution highlighted that membership in MS-13 requires members to commit acts of violence to advance their standing within the gang, with a particular emphasis on attacking and killing rivals. The gang maintained a notable rivalry with the 18th Street Gang in the Baltimore region.

The convictions are the result of a multi-faceted investigation that targeted the violent activities of the MS-13 gang. Prosecutors detailed several brutal incidents that led to the convictions. On April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez and Valenzuela-Rodriguez, along with other MS-13 members, allegedly attacked a man suspected of being a rival gang member with machetes, causing significant injuries.

The case further detailed the murder of 16-year-old Gabriela Gonzalez-Ardon on May 29, 2020. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and Pesquera-Puerto, along with other associates, are accused of luring Gonzalez-Ardon to an area near Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville, Maryland. They then allegedly murdered her by striking her with a machete and stabbing her multiple times. The report indicated that MS-13 members reported such murders to their leadership to gain credit and increase their status within the organization.

Another shocking act of violence occurred on June 5, 2020, when Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members lured Michelle Tenezaca to an area near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore. Tenezaca, whom they suspected of cooperating with law enforcement, was reportedly stabbed 143 times, resulting in her death. Her body was subsequently found near the train tracks.

In addition to the completed murders, the defendants were also implicated in attempted murders. On June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez and Valenzuela-Rodriguez, along with other gang members, confronted a man and his girlfriend, who was the sister of one of the homicide victims, at a Baltimore library. The younger members of the gang were allegedly ordered to take the woman to the site where Michelle Tenezaca was killed and stab her over 70 times; she survived the attack. The male victim was then forced at knifepoint to go to Dundalk, Maryland, where the defendants attempted to murder him by stabbing him multiple times. Both victims of this incident survived.

Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez and Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez were convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. Both face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and one count of murder in aid of racketeering, also facing a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.

This case is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, eradicating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation combines resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Baltimore County and Baltimore City Police Departments, were recognized for their contributions to the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledged the assistance of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Residents with information regarding MS-13 activities are encouraged to contact law enforcement. The FBI can be reached at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), and Homeland Security Investigations can be contacted at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.

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