HOUSTON – Five local members of the violent Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) international street gang are set to appear in court following charges of conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.
Wilson Jose Ventura-Mejia, 24, Jimmy Villalobos-Gomez, 23, Angel Miguel Aguilar-Ochoa, 35, Walter Antonio Chicas-Garcia, 23, and Marlon Miranda-Moran, 21 are all El Salvadorian nationals who illegally resided in Houston. Also charged is Franklin Trejo-Chavarria, 23, who is currently in custody in El Salvador.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment Nov. 12. All are charged with conspiracy and murder in aid of racketeering.
The indictment alleges they committed a 2018 murder in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise. The victim was allegedly beaten to death with machetes in order for the defendants to further their positions in the enterprise.
If convicted, they face a potential death sentence.
