A Salvadoran national and member of the gang La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for his involvement in a criminal enterprise, which included three murders.
According to court documents, on August 25, 2018, Henry Leonel Barrera Ayala, known by aliases such as Cusuco, Centinela, and Lil Player, along with Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray and other members of MS-13's Uniones Locos Salvatrucha clique met in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Their intent was to murder an associate from the Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique identified as K.A.C., who they believed had betrayed the gang. After dining together at an MS-13 member's residence in New Bedford, Barrera Ayala and co-conspirators killed K.A.C., dismembered his body, placed it in trash bags, and buried the remains nearby.
In June 2019, Barrera Ayala and Alas Candray planned another murder targeting individuals gathering in a wooded area within their perceived territory in Reston. On June 23, they executed their plan using firearms and machetes to kill J.L.G.M.
On September 17, 2020, Barrera Ayala was involved in luring a young woman named I.J.P.G. to Colts Neck Road under false pretenses. She was believed to be associated with a rival gang and had allegedly disparaged MS-13 on social media. The conspirators shot her multiple times.
Beyond these murders, Barrera Ayala also conspired with MS-13 members to distribute marijuana and cocaine. He sent drug profits via money transfer services to benefit the gang's operations.
Barrera Ayala pled guilty on September 18, 2024, to conspiracy charges related to racketeering activities. Meanwhile, Alas Candray was convicted by a federal jury on October 21 for his role in the gang's activities involving six murders and additional conspiracies. He received six concurrent life sentences on January 30.
The sentencing announcement came from Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ryan from the FBI Washington Field Office; and Kevin Davis from Fairfax County Police after U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff delivered the sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky led the prosecution.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening U.S security through coordinated efforts across agencies.
Further details about this case can be accessed via the U.S Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia or through PACER by searching Case No. 1:22-cr-178.