Corea Diaz, of Long Branch, New Jersey, was sentenced to life in prison by a federal court in November for conspiracy to commit murder by extortion, murder with the aid of extortion, drug trafficking conspiracy and possession of illicit drugs. , according to federal prosecutors. CNN contacted Corea Diaz’s lawyer, Steve Mercer, for comment. In the defendant’s conviction, Mercer called for a “sentence that provides a realistic opportunity for release.” Mercer urged the judge to sentence Corea Diaz to no more than 21 years and two months. Court documents state that Corea Diaz “conspired with MS-13 members and associates to engage in a pattern of extortion, including murder, extortion, money laundering, witness forgery and distribution of controlled substances from 2010” October 2017. “Corea Diaz’s brutality is almost undetectable,” said Maryland Attorney General Erek L. Barron in a statement from the Department of Justice. Corea Diaz and another gang member awaiting sentencing controlled and managed the Sailors Locos Salvatruchos Westside Clique, which conducted a “protection” program around its base in Langley Park, Maryland and blackmailed local businesses because they were operating in the “territory” of MS-13 “. he said. The gang also trafficked heroin, cocaine and other drugs, with much of the proceeds going to its leadership in El Salvador, according to federal prosecutors. The MS-13, which prosecutors describe as one of the largest criminal organizations in the United States, is a “transnational gang consisting mainly of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador,” the statement said. Immigrants from El Salvador who fled the country’s civil war started the MS-13 decades ago in Los Angeles. Its members include immigrants from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and other Central and South American countries, according to an FBI threat assessment of the gang. Over the years, MS-13 members have been convicted of a range of crimes nationwide, from extortion to murder. CNN’s Ray Sanchez contributed to this report.
