Friday, September 19, 2025
Three Members of MS-13 Convicted of Two Murders and Multiple Attempted Murders
Today, a federal jury in Maryland convicted three men, Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, also known as Humilde and Marco Saravia, 26, of El Salvador, Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, also known as Little Felon, 24, of Honduras, and Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, also known as Truney, 24, of Honduras; for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise involving murders, attempted murders, as well as murder in aid of racketeering.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members and associates of La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Central America, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. The defendants, as members and associates of MS-13, were required to commit acts of violence to increase their status and rank within the gang. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MS-13 maintained a rivalry with the 18th Street Gang, among others.
“Over the course of a few short months, these defendants – seeking to be promoted within the ranks of the designated foreign terrorist organization MS-13 – spread fear through the streets of Baltimore by committing brutal and heinous acts, including the murder of two young women,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to prosecuting MS-13 members to the fullest extent of the law in order to eradicate the transnational street gang, obtain a measure of justice for their victims, and restore the safety and security of our communities.”
“The MS-13 gang continues to show a total disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “These defendants’ commitment to carrying out multiple vicious attacks and murders, including the killing a 16-year-old girl, is unconscionable. Members of this ruthless, international gang thrive on murdering and terrorizing others, and in this case, did so to advance their standing within this lawless organization. We, along with our law-enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who commit these despicable crimes and dismantling the violent criminal organizations that terrorize our communities.”
“The defendants convicted today engaged in excessive and brutal violence as members of MS-13, a transnational criminal organization that routinely shows contempt for the rule of law,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “We are proud of the work that has taken these individuals off the streets so that they can no longer harm the community of the greater Baltimore area, and we will continue our nationwide efforts in thwarting MS-13.”
Constanza-Galdomez and Pesquera-Puerto were members or associates of the Carlington Locos Salvatrucha (CALS) clique, and Valenzuela-Rodriguez was a member of the Huntington Criminales Locos Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique. From June 2019 through at least October 2021, the defendants participated in the racketeering activities of MS-13, including two murders, four attempted murders, and witness tampering.
On April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to assault a man whom they suspected was a rival gang member. That same day, they allegedly assaulted the victim in Baltimore by striking him with machetes multiple times, causing injuries to the victim’s face and arm.
On May 29, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other members and associates of MS-13 lured Gabriela Gonzalez-Ardon, a 16-year-old girl whom they suspected of associating with rival gang members, to an area near Loch Raven Reservoir in Cockeysville, Maryland. There the defendants and other members and associates of MS-13 struck her with a machete and stabbed her multiple times, murdering her. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
On June 5, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates lured Michelle Tenezaca, whom they suspected was a rival gang member that cooperated with law enforcement, to an area near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. There the gang stabbed her 143 times, killing her and leaving her body near the train tracks. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership to get credit for participating in the murder and to increase their status within MS-13.
Photograph of MS-13 graffiti near the CSX Bayview Train Yard in Baltimore, Maryland
In June 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13, conspired to murder a man who had disputes with the gang. Therefore, on June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates confronted the man and his girlfriend, the sister of one of the homicide victims, at a library in Baltimore, Maryland. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then ordered younger members of the gang to take the woman to an area near the train tracks where Michelle Tenezaca was killed. The younger members of the gang then stabbed the woman over 70 times. Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other members and associates of MS-13 then forced the male, at knifepoint to go to Dundalk, Maryland to murder him. The defendants then attempted to murder the man by stabbing him multiple times with knives. Both victims survived the attacks.
Constanza-Galdomez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Valenzuela-Rodriguez was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. Pesquera-Puerto was convicted of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and one count of murder in aid of racketeering. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes made the announcement, and also thank Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger for their offices’ assistance in the case.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Grace Bowen and Chrisopher Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Wallner for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
Attorney General James Successfully Defends New York’s Laws Keeping Guns Out of Times Square and Public Transit
New York Attorney General Letitia James today successfully defended New York’s laws prohibiting firearms in Times Square and on public transit. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued a decision in Frey v. City of New York, denying a challenge to New York’s ban on firearms in Times Square and on public transit, New York’s ban on open carry of firearms, and a state law that allows New York City to issue its own firearm carry permits. Attorney General James issued the following statement on today’s decision:
“New Yorkers deserve to feel safe on public transportation and everywhere in our state, and today’s decision affirms that right. Common-sense gun laws save lives, keep guns out of sensitive community spaces, and help address the gun violence crisis. New York has some of the strongest common-sense gun laws in the nation, and my office will continue to defend them and protect New Yorkers.”
In today’s decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction in Frey v. City of New York, which challenged provisions of New York’s Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA). The CCIA bans concealed carry of firearms in sensitive places, such as Times Square, and on public transit. In October 2024, Attorney General James successfully defended other provisions of the CCIA.
NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE PUSHES FOR ANSWERS, ACCOUNTABILITY ON RECENT LEGIONNAIRES’ OUTBREAK
At a City Council hearing today, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams pushed the Adams administration for answers, accountability, and future reforms in response to the outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease that killed seven New Yorkers this summer in Harlem. He focused on the impact of agency staffing reductions which limit the number of safety inspections, as well as the prevalence of these kinds of incidents in Black and brown communities. His office recently held a town hall in Harlem on the dangers of Legionnaires' and the potential solutions to prevent additional outbreaks.
“While the Legionnaires' outbreak has been declared over, I am concerned that the current enforcement around inspections for city cooling towers is not enough…In 2017, the first year of inspections, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspected 5,200 cooling towers, issuing over 48,000 violations. In 2022, 4,400 inspections were conducted and this year, as of June, the department is on track to complete fewer than half that number. Like many other city agencies, DOHMH faces staffing shortages that drastically impacts its ability to carry out the full breadth of its responsibilities, but a shortage of inspectors is only one side of the issue.”
He noted that 40% of cooling towers have not been inspected since 2023, including those involved in the outbreak, and pointed to potential complacency, saying “With temperatures rising in the summer, we cannot afford to be complacent on this matter, and I do want to be clear, I believe complacency was part of the issue. Whether on inspectors, the number of inspections, the way it was communicated, or other parts, and we have to find where complacency was, so we can try to fix it.”
Public Advocate Williams called for the passage of Intro 434, which would further strengthen our city’s water maintenance systems in large buildings and our enforcement of testing and inspection, and noted that he has proposed and hopes to advance additional legislation to raise the impact of fines. In the interim, he called on the administration to be proactive.
“Our city’s public health cannot be gambled on,” he said, “Especially at a time when the federal government is cutting necessary research and promoting dangerous ideologies out of step with proven scientific data.”
His full statement as delivered is below. More on the office’s town hall and recommendations is available here.
TO THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON HEALTH
SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
Good afternoon,
My name is Jumaane D. Williams, Public Advocate for the City of New York. I want to thank Chair Schulman and the members of the Committee on Health for holding this important hearing today and allowing me the opportunity to testify. I’d also like to thank my staff, especially my Infrastructure and Environmental Justice team as well as the Policy Team and our Community Advocates for all their hard work in bringing together the town hall my office hosted last month on this topic. It was a truly collaborative effort and a way to speak directly to the concerns of the community, answer their questions and share information. I thank all my colleagues in government who were there. Finally, I’d like to thank DOHMH and Commissioner Morse for sending representatives to the event. Their expertise is deeply valued and appreciated.
While the Legionnaires' outbreak has been declared over, I am concerned that the current enforcement around inspections for city cooling towers is not enough. Under the 2015 law, which was implemented after an outbreak that killed 15 individuals, all building owners must register their water cooling towers with the city and propose a maintenance plan to the city every three months to prevent and control the growth of Legionella. In 2017, the first year of inspections, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) inspected 5,200 cooling towers, issuing over 48,000 violations. In 2022, 4,400 inspections were conducted and this year, as of June, the department is on track to complete fewer than half that number. Like many other city agencies, DOHMH faces staffing shortages that drastically impacts its ability to carry out the full breadth of its responsibilities, but a shortage of inspectors is only one side of the issue.
I believe the current level of fines —$1,000 for a first offense, $2,000 for each additional offense— is not enough. Stricter enforcement calls for higher fines and with increased agency capacity to inspect cooling towers and more regular inspections, future outbreaks like this could be prevented. With temperatures rising in the summer, we cannot afford to be complacent on this matter, and do I want to be clear, I believe complacency was part of the issue. Whether on inspectors, the number of inspections, the way it was communicated, or other parts, and we have to find where complacency was, so we can try to fix it.
Forty percent of all city cooling towers — including those within the five affected ZIP codes in Harlem — have not been inspected since 2023. This administration has spent the past four years cutting funding for agencies and in addition to a pandemic-era hiring freeze that left many city agencies understaffed as workers retired early and many left the workforce due to rushed “return to work” orders, DOHMH has also been subject to a ‘2 for 1’ hiring policy which requires two resignations for every one hire. Our city’s public health cannot be gambled on, especially at a time when the federal government is cutting necessary research and promoting dangerous ideologies out of step with proven scientific data.
I call on the City Council to not only push forward with Int. 434, which would further strengthen our city’s water maintenance systems in large buildings and our enforcement of testing and inspection, but also on the administration to lift the agency’s current hiring policy which forces it to choose between inspectors and other crucial public health personnel. We need more inspectors and better enforcement of our laws. As such, my office has submitted a bill that would raise the level of fines, but while that legislation makes its way through bill drafting, we must take proactive steps to ensure that outbreaks like this one do not happen again and I believe the policy changes proposed by the Commissioner are a good first step.
I would be remiss if I didn’t add my voice to the frustration that any time these things seem to be happening, it happens in particular communities – Black and brown, it has happened in Harlem multiple times, the Bronx – which means, we should come to expect that it may happen and be proactive in trying to prevent it, not reactive when it occurs. Hopefully we can figure out why that didn’t happen here, and prevent it from happening again, in honor of the people that we lost and the people who are still concerned.
Thank you.