March 14, 2018 - 2:33 PM
SILVER SPRING, Md. - A federal jury has convicted a Maryland resident of racketeering conspiracy in connection with his activities in the MS-13 gang.
The U.S. Department of Justice says that Raul Ernesto Landaverde Giron of Silver Spring also was found guilty Wednesday of murder in aid of racketeering and other charges.
In a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions described Landaverde's conviction as "another victory for the American people against this uniquely barbaric gang."
The MS-13, with deep ties to Central America, is a prime Trump administration target amid its broader immigration crackdown.
In October, Sessions designated the gang as a "priority" for an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. That designation directs prosecutors to pursue all legal avenues to target the gang and lets local police tap into federal money to fund investigations.
News from © The Associated Press, 2018