A federal jury convicted two MS-13 gang leaders on racketeering charges tied to murders, shootings and drug trafficking across the Washington, D.C., region.
Moises Humberto Rivera-Luna, 56, of El Salvador, and Tokiro Rodas-Ramirez, 44, a dual citizen of Honduras and El Salvador, were found guilty Saturday, Oct. 3, in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced. Both had been extradited to the United States to face the charges.
Rivera-Luna, known by the alias "Viejo Santos," directed the Normandie clique of MS-13 from inside a prison in El Salvador. The clique operated in El Salvador and the D.C. area, collecting money through membership dues, extortion and drug sales to buy weapons and support imprisoned gang members.
Rodas-Ramirez, known as "Perverso," served as the Normandie clique's second-in-command in the Washington metropolitan area.
Kill orders from a prison cell
Prosecutors said Rivera-Luna authorized the killings of two MS-13 members for breaking gang rules. On Nov. 6, 2008, gang members stabbed one victim at least 20 times in Northwest Washington at Rivera-Luna's direction. A second victim was found shot to death on March 31, 2010, at a park in Montgomery County, Maryland, after bringing a knife to an MS-13 meeting.
Rodas-Ramirez took part in a separate shooting and a killing. On April 7, 2008, he was driving with other MS-13 members when they spotted a suspected rival. Another gang member exited the vehicle and shot the victim multiple times. A Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer nearby responded immediately and provided care. That victim survived.
On July 29, 2008, Rodas-Ramirez and other gang members found a suspected rival at an apartment complex in Riverdale, Maryland. They followed the victim, who was riding a bicycle, and shot him multiple times. He died of his injuries.
Charges and sentencing
Rivera-Luna was convicted of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, including murder and drug trafficking. Rodas-Ramirez was convicted of RICO conspiracy, including murder and drug trafficking, as well as assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that one defendant ordered killings from inside a Salvadoran prison and that both would be too old for violence by the time they leave prison. Kai Wah Chan, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., called the conviction the end of a long effort and said HSI used its international reach to dismantle the organization.
The case was investigated by HSI Washington, D.C., and MPD, with assistance from police departments in Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Fairfax County and Herndon, as well as the FBI. The governments of Guatemala and Honduras assisted with the extraditions. The prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159.
Rodas-Ramirez was arrested on March 18, 2022, and extradited from Honduras that August. Rivera-Luna was arrested on Aug. 28, 2022, and extradited on March 4, 2025, after completing a prison sentence in Guatemala.
Both are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2027. Residents with information about gang activity in the District can contact MPD at 202-727-9099 or text anonymously to 50411.
