Gang members convicted of murder

A federal jury in Alexandria on July 5 convicted five members of the La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang for their roles in the kidnapping and murder of two adolescent boys in 2016, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reports.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, the five gang members targeted E.E.E.M., a 17-year-old resident of Falls Church, who they erroneously suspected was a member of the rival 18th Street gang.

On the night of Aug. 28, 2016, the gang lured E.E.E.M. to Holmes Run Stream Valley Park in Mason District under the pretense that there was going to be a gang meeting there. Instead, gang members restrained, attacked, and killed E.E.E.M., stabbing and chopping him more than 100 times with knives, a machete, and a pickaxe.

Afterwards, the gang broke one of E.E.E.M.’s legs so his body would fit into a nearby hole that they had already dug.

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The MS-13 gang members who were convicted are Elmer Zelaya Martinez, 31; Ronald Herrera Contreras, 24; Henry Zelaya Martinez, 28; Pablo Velasco Barrera, 24; and Duglas Ramirez Ferrera, 25. All of them are originally from El Salvador.

All five were convicted of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity, conspiracy to kidnap, murder in aid of racketeering activity, and kidnapping resulting in death. They all face mandatory life sentences.

A federal district court judge will determine the sentences after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Court records and evidence presented at trial also established that the same gang members, along with their co-conspirators, targeted S.A.A.T., a 14-year-old resident of Alexandria, who they erroneously suspected was a police informant.

On Sept. 26, 2016, the gang told S.A.A.T. that there was going to be a gang meeting later that night and encouraged him to attend. S.A.A.T. went outside in his pajamas, telling his mother he was just taking out the trash. Eventually, several gang members picked up S.A.A.T. and drove him to Holmes Run Stream Valley Park where they had killed E.E.E.M.

The gang members restrained, attacked, and killed S.A.A.T. They stabbed him and chopped him with knives, machetes, and a pickaxe. They also filmed the murder with a cell phone so they could prove to gang leaders in the United States and El Salvador that they deserved to be promoted in rank.

Once S.A.A.T. was dead, the gang broke his legs and tied him up with his own pajama pants so he would fit into the shallow grave that was dug for him that night.

To date, a total of 17 defendants have been charged in this case. Of those, five defendants went to trial and were convicted of all charges. Nine defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.

The FBI Washington Field Office; the Fairfax County Police Department; the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Washington Field Office; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Alexandria Police Department; the Prince William County Police Department, the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department; and the Marin County, Calif., Sheriff’s Office provided significant assistance on the investigation.