El Salvadoran MS-13 Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Court for Gang Murder
Jose Ramos Lopez, 26, an El Salvadoran national living illegally in Frederick, Maryland, received a seven-year prison sentence in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on May 12, 2026 for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise tied to the murder of another MS-13 member. The sentence advances the Justice Department's HSTF initiative targeting transnational gang activity by removing one convicted participant from the street and imposing three years of supervised release after prison.
nbcnews.comBaltimore, Maryland — U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Jose Ramos Lopez to seven years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in the murder of a fellow MS-13 member as part of a racketeering conspiracy.
The sentence, handed down May 12, 2026 in federal court in Baltimore, covers one defendant convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. Lopez, who entered the United States illegally from El Salvador and resided in Frederick, Maryland, took part in the killing of Victim 1, per the Department of Justice release.
The case forms one outcome within the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation into MS-13 operations. The racketeering count directly addresses the gang's use of murder to maintain internal discipline and territorial control. Prior to sentencing, Lopez faced the standard federal penalties for violent crimes in aid of racketeering, which carry a maximum of life in prison; the seven-year term reflects the final negotiated and accepted punishment.
The sentence immediately removes Lopez from the community for the duration of his term. It triggers three years of supervised release upon completion of the prison term, during which any violation can return him to custody. The outcome requires the Bureau of Prisons to designate a facility and the U.S. Probation Office to prepare post-release monitoring.
It also supplies a concrete conviction that prosecutors can cite when pursuing related MS-13 cases or seeking cooperation from other members.
This sentencing continues a series of HSTF prosecutions that have produced convictions against MS-13 members for murders, drug trafficking and extortion across multiple federal districts. The Justice Department has used the racketeering statute in these cases since the task force's expansion under prior administrations to treat the gang's activities as an ongoing criminal enterprise rather than isolated street crimes.
Primary sources: U.S. Department of Justice
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