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More than a dozen members of a transnational criminal organization could face the death penalty following a federal indictment, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ said 14 alleged members of the crime syndicate known as La Familia Nunca Muere, or “The Family Never Dies,” were charged with racketeering and murder and may be eligible for capital punishment if convicted. Another nine defendants are charged in the conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned the indictment on May 12, charging the 23 alleged members of the syndicate with racketeering offenses, including murder, drug trafficking and firearms violations as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative.
File photo: The U.S. Department of Justice headquarters building is seen in Washington, D.C., on September 15, 2024.
The indictment alleges the group functioned as a criminal enterprise whose members engaged in coordinated illegal activity, using violence to maintain control and advance their operations.
“This criminal Enterprise used gun violence and murder as mere business tools to maintain power and control. The filing of RICO charges gives us the capacity to systematically dismantle the violent gangs that fuel bloodshed and keep families living in fear,” U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow said in a press release.
The investigation came from the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, aimed at coordinating federal, state, and local law enforcement resources to address organized crime and public safety threats, according to the DOJ.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a law enforcement division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is among the agencies involved in the case alongside the FBI, DEA, and others. HSI is historically responsible for investigating transnational crime, including drug trafficking and other cross-border criminal activity.
“The FBI will continue working aggressively alongside our federal and state partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten our communities,” Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, said in a statement.
DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Mayer said in a news release: “This investigation targeted individuals who believed they could use murder and intimidation to strengthen their criminal organization and spread fear throughout our communities.”
While ICE said 14 defendants could be eligible for the death penalty, the DOJ press release does not state that prosecutors have formally sought capital punishment. Any such outcome would depend on the charges, evidence, and determinations made during the judicial process.
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The DOJ said 14 alleged members of the crime syndicate known as La Familia Nunca Muere, or “The Family Never Dies,” were charged with racketeering and murder and may be eligible for capital punishment if convicted. Another nine defendants are charged in the conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned the indictment on May 12, charging the 23 alleged members of the syndicate with racketeering offenses, including murder, drug trafficking and firearms violations as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative.
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File photo: The U.S. Department of Justice headquarters building is seen in Washington, D.C., on September 15, 2024.
What To Know
The indictment alleges the group functioned as a criminal enterprise whose members engaged in coordinated illegal activity, using violence to maintain control and advance their operations.
“This criminal Enterprise used gun violence and murder as mere business tools to maintain power and control. The filing of RICO charges gives us the capacity to systematically dismantle the violent gangs that fuel bloodshed and keep families living in fear,” U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow said in a press release.
The investigation came from the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, aimed at coordinating federal, state, and local law enforcement resources to address organized crime and public safety threats, according to the DOJ.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a law enforcement division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is among the agencies involved in the case alongside the FBI, DEA, and others. HSI is historically responsible for investigating transnational crime, including drug trafficking and other cross-border criminal activity.
“The FBI will continue working aggressively alongside our federal and state partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle violent criminal organizations that threaten our communities,” Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, said in a statement.
DEA Caribbean Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Mayer said in a news release: “This investigation targeted individuals who believed they could use murder and intimidation to strengthen their criminal organization and spread fear throughout our communities.”
What Happens Next
While ICE said 14 defendants could be eligible for the death penalty, the DOJ press release does not state that prosecutors have formally sought capital punishment. Any such outcome would depend on the charges, evidence, and determinations made during the judicial process.
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