Executive Summary
- Eight alleged members of the MS-13 clique “Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas” face federal RICO conspiracy charges.
- Prosecutors allege the ring was led by German Benites Moreno from inside a New Jersey state prison.
- An apartment in Owings Mills, Maryland, reportedly served as a hub for storing weapons and drugs.
- Charges include trafficking firearms and methamphetamine, as well as committing armed robberies and assaults.
BALTIMORE — Federal prosecutors have charged eight individuals associated with the MS-13 clique “Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas” (LGCS) with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, alleging a criminal enterprise involving firearms trafficking, drug distribution, and violent robberies coordinated between Maryland and a New Jersey prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced the superseding indictment on Tuesday, detailing a network operating in Baltimore County under the direction of an incarcerated leader.
According to the indictment, German “19” Lisandro Benites Moreno, 32, allegedly directed the gang’s operations while serving a sentence in a New Jersey state prison. Prosecutors state that Moreno maintained control over the clique through December 2024, managing the group’s finances, drug distribution, and violent activities via telephone. Officials allege Moreno called into gang meetings held in Baltimore County to exert authority and order specific acts of violence.
Court documents identify Melanie “Mala” Pina Verde, 22, of Owings Mills, Maryland, as a central facilitator for the group. Investigators allege Pina Verde served as the primary intermediary between Moreno and members on the outside. Furthermore, the indictment claims her apartment functioned as a logistical hub where members stored narcotics and firearms and conducted illicit business.
The conspiracy charges cover a period from January 2025 through October 2025. During this time, defendants Luis Melendez Serrano, Alex Pena Martinez, William Rivera Nolasco, and Kevin Melendez Serrano allegedly trafficked firearms to individuals prohibited from possessing them. The group is also accused of distributing controlled substances, including methamphetamine and marijuana. Authorities further detail a series of assaults and robberies committed in September 2025 by members Joshua Palacios and Nilson Montecinos. In one instance, prosecutors describe a robbery where a member racked the slide of a handgun against a victim’s head, while another incident involved forcing victims to apologize to LGCS leadership.
Judicial and Operational Implications
This superseding indictment highlights the persistent challenge law enforcement faces regarding the continuity of criminal command structures from within correctional facilities. By invoking the RICO statute, federal prosecutors are targeting the organizational hierarchy rather than isolated crimes, a strategy designed to dismantle the operational capacity of the clique across state lines. The involvement of an incarcerated leader coordinating with associates in a different state underscores the complexity of monitoring illicit communications in prison systems and the necessity for inter-agency federal cooperation in combating transnational gang activity.
It is important to note that an indictment is not a finding of guilt. All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
