El Salvadoran National Receives Seven-Year Sentence for MS-13 Gang Murder in Frederick, Maryland

A seven-year federal prison sentence has been handed down to Jose Ramos Lopez, a 26-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador residing in Frederick, Maryland, for his involvement in a racketeering conspiracy that resulted in the murder of a minor. The sentencing by U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson also includes three years of supervised release. Ramos Lopez, identified as a member of the MS-13 gang, played a role in the gang’s illicit activities, including distributing marijuana and collecting extortion payments from brothels to fund the organization.

According to court documents, the brutal killing occurred on February 24, 2023, when MS-13 gang members, including the victim, gathered outside an apartment complex in Frederick. The victim was lured into a wooded area under the pretense of smoking marijuana. There, he was subjected to a violent attack, stabbed with knives and slashed with a machete until he died. Following the murder, Ramos Lopez reportedly assisted other gang members in the aftermath of the crime. His role included helping to clean up the scene and dispose of evidence, such as weapons and clothing. The gang members then dismembered the victim’s body, transported it to another wooded area, and buried it in two separate graves.

Law enforcement’s subsequent investigation uncovered evidence of the crime. Investigators located the area where the MS-13 gang carried out the murder, tracing a blood trail from a chair down a hill to a creek. Bloodstains were discovered along the creek and on rocks, with a bloodied white plastic bag also found. In a nearby dumpster, investigators found a black trash bag containing blood-covered items, including hats, coats, and pants, as well as a grocery bag with blood and a knife. Further forensic evidence was recovered when portions of the victim’s dismembered body were found in two clandestine graves near Mink Farm Road in Thurmont, Maryland.

The successful prosecution of Ramos Lopez was a result of the efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The HSTF is a multi-agency initiative focused on dismantling criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations operating within the United States. The task force collaborates across various law enforcement agencies to identify, investigate, and prosecute crimes committed by these organizations, with a particular emphasis on offenses involving children. The HSTF Baltimore component includes agents and officers from the FBI, ICE-HSI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, ATF, DEA, IRS-CI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department.

The investigation and prosecution of this case were led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes credited the FBI and the Frederick Police Department for their significant contributions to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark and Jared M. Beim were responsible for prosecuting the federal case.

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

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