MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy

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BOSTON – An MS-13 member pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy.

Modesto Ramirez, a/k/a “Snoopy,” 29, a Honduran national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 21, 2018.

After a multi-year investigation, Ramirez was one of dozens of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 named in a superseding indictment unsealed in January 2016 that targeted MS-13’s criminal activities in Massachusetts. Ramirez is the 47th defendant to be convicted as part of that ongoing prosecution.

Ramirez was a member of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha or TLS clique of MS-13. The evidence against Ramirez included a secretly-taped recording made by a cooperating witness in which Ramirez discussed his intention to kill a gang rival.

At today’s hearing, the Court accepted Ramirez’s guilty plea but deferred acceptance of the plea agreement until the sentencing hearing. Under the terms of the proposed plea agreement, Ramirez will be sentenced to 97 months in prison.  Ramirez will also be subject to deportation upon the completion of his sentence.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement.

The remaining defendants charged in this case are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.