A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals from Annapolis, Maryland, identified as Manuel Erazo Alvarado and Erick Guillen Pleitez, on charges of murder in aid of racketeering. The indictment against the two men, also known by their aliases "Castigo" and "Kilo," was returned on February 13, 2025. They made their initial court appearances in Baltimore; Erazo Alvarado appeared recently while Guillen Pleitez appeared earlier this month.
The defendants are accused of being members or associates of the MS-13 gang, an international criminal organization primarily composed of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador. According to court documents, during 2017 in Maryland, they were involved in narcotics distribution and extortion activities. It is alleged that they participated in a murder on August 29, 2017, to enhance their status within the gang. If found guilty, both face either life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced these developments along with U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland and several law enforcement officials including Special Agent William J. DelBagno from the FBI's Baltimore Field Office.
The investigation is being conducted by multiple agencies including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Prosecutors Kenneth S. Clark and James Hammond for Maryland are handling the case alongside Matthew Hoff and Amanda Kotula from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America which aims to combat illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts across various law enforcement bodies.
Authorities urge anyone with information about MS-13 to contact law enforcement via nationwide tiplines provided by both FBI and HSI.
It should be noted that an indictment is not proof of guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court.