MS-13 Clique Leader Indicted in Baltimore RICO Murder Conspiracy

Federal authorities unsealed a superseding indictment on January 8 that charges two additional members of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas, a clique of MS-13 operating in Baltimore, in a RICO conspiracy alleged to involve four murders and two attempted murders. Prosecutors say the indictment expands earlier charges and adds a fourth murder and an attempted murder to counts that already included multiple killings and violent acts.

The indictment alleges that since at least 2023 the defendants engaged in murders, drug distribution, extortion and other violent crimes. Several of the alleged killings and violent incidents occurred in southeast Baltimore, and investigators say members used social media ruses to lure victims. Those are criminal allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced the indictment jointly with the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and state corrections officials. The case is tied to broader enforcement efforts including a Homeland Security Task Force and Operation Take Back America initiatives aimed at disrupting gangs and removing illegal firearms from communities.

For Baltimore residents, the indictment is both a sign of intensified federal-local cooperation and a reminder of continued risks in specific neighborhoods. Allegations that social media was used to entrap victims point to tactics that can affect teenagers and young adults across the city, emphasizing the need for vigilance by families, schools and community organizations. The charges also touch on crimes that can destabilize neighborhood economies and erode trust in public safety, such as extortion and drug trafficking.

Investigators are encouraging anyone with information about MS-13 activity to come forward. Contact information for the U.S. Attorney’s Office press liaison is Kevin Nash at USAMD.Press@usdoj.gov or 410-209-4946. Residents with tips can also contact local law enforcement hotlines tied to the ongoing task force efforts.

Prosecutors will now proceed through the federal court process, where the superseding indictment will be litigated. For Baltimore communities affected by gang-related violence, the coming weeks and months will test both investigative resolve and the capacity of social services and neighborhood groups to support at-risk residents and strengthen public safety.