Twelve MS-13 members 'killed four random people in 2019 because they wanted to improve their status in the gang'

Police in northern Virginia announced charges Tuesday against a dozen alleged members and associates of the MS-13 street gang for four separate slayings in 2019, including three killings that authorities say were committed at random by gang members seeking to gain status within the organization.

At a news conference Tuesday in Woodbridge, Prince William County Police Acting Chief Jarad Phelps said the arrests have effectively decimated the 'Sitios' clique of MS-13.

'They were a danger to our public' Phelps said.

Four additional individuals were arrested on drug charges related to what police said was a large-scale trafficking operation run by the Sitios clique to bring cocaine from New York into Virginia.

Prince William County Police Acting Chief Jarad Phelps said the arrests have effectively decimated the 'Sitios' clique of MS-13

The slayings include the deaths of Milton Lopez, 40, and Jairo Mayorga, 39, who were found dead from gunshot wounds in a wooded area of Woodbridge on June 22, 2019.

The other victims included Eric Tate II, 25, and the September 24, 2019, slaying of Antonio Smith, 37, who were shot and killed in separate incidents in Woodbridge and Dumfries while walking down the street, police said. 

In a news release, police said the slayings of Mayorga, Tate and Smith were conducted by MS-13 members looking to increase their standing within the gang. The release states that the victims were 'targeted at random.' 

Phelps declined to discuss the gang members' motives beyond that.

The slayings include the deaths of Milton Lopez, 40, and Jairo Mayorga, 39, who were found dead from gunshot wounds in a woods of Woodbridge on June 22

Other victims included Eric Tate II, 25, and the September 24, 2019, slaying of Antonio Smith, 37, who were shot and killed in separate incidents in Woodbridge and Dumfries while walking down the street

Phelps said more than 100 officers from multiple agencies investigated the slayings, which occurred between June and September of 2019.

A regional gang task force has targeted MS-13 and other gangs in northern Virginia. The gangs have been charged with murders, sex trafficking of minors, extortion and drug trafficking. In federal court in Alexandria earlier this year, an MS-13 leader in El Salvador became the first gang leader to face terrorism charges in the U.S. Another alleged MS-13 leader is facing a death penalty trial next year on charges of kidnapping and killing two northern Virginia teenagers in 2016.

Police said there are some connections between the charges announced Tuesday and the federal cases, but did not provide any details.

One of the 12 charged in the deaths is at large and believed to be in El Salvador; another is listed as being wanted while the rest are in custody.

Those charged in connection to the murders include: Abner Jose Molina Rodriguez, 23; Mario Antonio Guevera Rivera, 25; Cristian Ariel Arevalo Arias, 24; Carlos Jose Turcios Villatoro, 22; Melvin Canales Saldana, 27; Marvin Menjivar Gutierrez, 28; Jairo Gustavo Aguilera Sagistizado, 25; Manilester Andrade Rivas, 31; Wilmer Candelar Cabrera Rivera, 32; Keyly Yamileth Guzman, 25; Gerardo Reyes Serrano Molina, 25; and Juan Manuel Vasquez Reyes, 38. 

Those charged in connection to the murders include: Abner Jose Molina Rodriguez, 23; Mario Antonio Guevera Rivera, 25; Cristian Ariel Arevalo Arias, 24; Carlos Jose Turcios Villatoro, 22; Melvin Canales Saldana, 27; Marvin Menjivar Gutierrez, 28; Jairo Gustavo Aguilera Sagistizado, 25; Manilester Andrade Rivas, 31; Wilmer Candelar Cabrera Rivera, 32; Keyly Yamileth Guzman, 25; Gerardo Reyes Serrano Molina, 25; and Juan Manuel Vasquez Reyes, 38

The MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, was founded in Los Angeles between the 1970s and 1980s to provide protection for immigrants from El Salvador from rival gangs.

The gangs presence quickly spread to El Salvador as many members were deported, thus expanding the MS-13 influence to neighboring countries in Central America.

The notorious street gang throughout the years expanded across the United States, entrenching itself in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Mississippi and Virginia.

In the last several months, a number of MS-13 members have been detained in connection to a series of killings. 

Last month, a MS-13 member pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to his role in three murders that shook an Ohio community in 2015 and 2016. 

Pedro Alfonso Osorio-Flores, 41, became the 19th gang member to formally admit to his crimes and his participation in a racketeering conspiracy in Columbus on behalf of MS-13.  

In August, José Jonathan Guevara-Castro - also known as Suspechoso - was arrested on August 13 in Acajutla, Sonsonate, El Salvador in connection to the a 2016 New York murder of a believed rival gang member.

Also in August, a federal court in Virginia presented charges against 11 purported members and associates of the vicious gang in connection with the sexually exploitation and beating of a 13-year-old girl.