Final MS-13 Defendant's Guilty Plea Triggers Nationwide Prison Lockdown

Final defendant pleads guilty in MS-13 racketeering scheme that led to a nationwide federal prison lockdown.Photo byStock Image

By Kristy Tallman, July 3, 2024

BEAUMONT, Texas – The final defendant in a racketeering conspiracy that resulted in the nationwide lockdown of the federal prison system has pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

Juan Carlos Rivas-Moreiera, also known as “Juan Carlos Moriera” and “Stocky,” pleaded guilty on July 2, 2024, for his role in a racketeering conspiracy in furtherance of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13.

In April 2022, seven defendants, including Rivas-Moreiera, were indicted and charged with planning and executing a violent attack orchestrated by MS-13 members against Mexican Mafia and Sureños associates. The attack resulted in two deaths, two attempted murders, and a nationwide lockdown of all inmates in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for almost a week. Rivas-Moreiera admitted to his role in the deadly prison attack and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. He was the last remaining defendant to plead guilty.

According to information presented in court, MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, but also includes members from Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico.

The Mexican Mafia controls large portions of the Hispanic prison population in California, Texas, and the federal prison system. Although MS-13 has had a symbiotic relationship with both the Mexican Mafia and the Sureños, that relationship has deteriorated, leading to violent clashes between the groups.

On January 31, 2022, seven MS-13 members imprisoned at the U.S. Penitentiary in Beaumont attacked multiple Sureños members and one Mexican Mafia associate. Defendant Rivas-Moreiera began the prison attack by approaching Guillermo Riojas and stabbing him twice in the chest. Other MS-13 defendants continued the attack on Riojas and then targeted Andrew Pineda and other Sureños members. The attack lasted approximately three minutes, resulting in the deaths of Riojas and Pineda.

Defendants Rivas-Moreiera, Alfaro-Granado, and Landaverde-Giron are serving life sentences for their participation in MS-13 and committing murder in aid of racketeering. Defendant Ramires is serving a 27-year sentence for participating in MS-13 and committing a murder on behalf of the gang.

This case is a result of coordination between the Eastern District of Texas and Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), established in August 2019 to dismantle transnational criminal organizations like MS-13. JTFV has successfully increased coordination with foreign law enforcement partners and designated priority MS-13 programs, cliques, and leaders for targeted prosecutions. JTFV members include U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Prisons, and Homeland Security Investigations.

This case is being prosecuted by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Eason, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stewart M. Young from JTFV and the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren from the National Security Division. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons.

By Kristy Tallman, July 3, 2024

The Republic News

Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas

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