MS-13 Members Found Guilty In Falls Church, Alexandria Teen Murders

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Five members of the MS-13 gang were found guilty by a federal jury last Thursday for their roles in the 2016 kidnappings and killings of teens from Alexandria and Falls Church. All five will face mandatory life in prison when sentenced.

According to federal prosecutors, Elmer Zelaya Martinez, Ronald Herrera Contreras, Henry Zelaya Martinez, Pablo Velasco Barrera, and Duglas Ramirez Ferrera were involved in the deaths of a 17-year-old Falls Church boy and 14-year-old Alexandria boy at Holmes Run Stream Valley Park in Fairfax County. There have been 17 defendants charged in the case, with five going to trial and being convicted of all charges and nine pleading guilty before trial.

Prosecutors say the 17-year-old Falls Church teen was lured to Holmes run Stream Valley Park by the gang on Aug. 28, 2016. The teen was led to believe there would be a gang meeting there, but instead, gang members restrained, attacked and killed the teen, according to prosecutors. Court documents said the gang members stabbed and chopped him over 100 times with knives, a machete, and a pickaxe. Once he was dead, gang members broke one of his legs so they could fit his body into a hole, prosecutors say.

The same gang members and co-conspirators were involved in the killing of the 14-year-old Alexandria teen at the same park. Prosecutors say the gang members believed the boy was a police informant and encouraged him to attend a gang meeting on Sept. 26, 2016. After the teen went outside in his pajamas, several gang members picked him up and took him to Holmes run Stream Valley Park. According to prosecutors, gang members restrained, attacked, and killed the teen with knives, machetes, and a pickaxe. Once the teen was dead, gang members broke his legs and tied him up with his pajama pants to fit into a shallow grave. The killing was filmed with a cell phone to prove to gang leaders in the U.S. and El Salvador that they deserved promotions, prosecutors say.

The defendants convicted by the jury face a mandatory sentence of life in prison on charges of murder in aid of racketeering activity and for kidnapping resulting in death. In addition, charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity, and conspiracy to kidnap charges could carry sentences up to 10 years and life, respectively.

Below are the charges for the five defendants found guilty.

Elmer Zelaya Martinez, 31, of El Salvador: Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death

Ronald Herrera Contreras, 24, of El Salvador: Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death

Henry Zelaya Martinez, 28, of El Salvador: Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death

Pablo Velasco Barrera, 24, of El Salvador: Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death

Duglas Ramirez Ferrera, 25, of El Salvador: Conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder in aid of racketeering activity; conspiracy to kidnap; murder in aid of racketeering activity; kidnapping resulting in death