A 17-year-old MS-13 gang member will serve 50 years in prison for his involvement in the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Maryland last April.
Josue Fuentes-Ponce pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to charges of first-degree murder, participating in the crime as part of a criminal gang, and conspiracy to commit murder, according to NBC Washington.
Prosecutors said gang members lured Ariana Funes-Diaz into a tunnel in Riverdale, Md., where they beat her to death with a machete and baseball bat on April 18, the outlet reported.
“These individuals had demonstrated violent criminal behavior before, and because they were released in spite of the lawful detainer, they were afforded an opportunity to take a life.” ICE Baltimore Field Office Director Diane Witte previously said in the statement, according to Fox News.
Investigators say Fuentes-Ponce and three other gang members attack the victim to prevent her from informing police about a robbery they had taken part in a day prior.
Retired Air Force Major General with Links to UFO Researcher Goes Missing – Search Underway
Legalize prostitution effort left candidate ‘shocked’ in blue state with rampant human trafficking
WATCH: Democratic Lawmaker Calls ‘Moms for Liberty’ a ‘Terrorist Group’ Then Doubles Down After Being Called Out
Old Dominion University shooter identified as Mohamed Jalloh, former National Guard member, ISIS supporter
FBI held active shooter training at Michigan synagogue weeks before attack
Manchin rips Cornyn for filibuster flip as Texas GOP runoff looms
Schumer swings at Hegseth over king crab meals for the troops, but Biden-era receipts show similar tab
Trump’s evolving stance on Iran ‘unconditional surrender’
Dems vote to keep DHS closed despite airport chaos, Iranian sleeper cell threat
BREAKING: Man Intentionally Rams Vehicle Into Michigan Synagogue and Opens Fire
Watch: Scott Jennings Calls on Internet to Fact-Check His CNN Colleague’s Insane Claim About Pete Hegseth
FBI responds to attack on Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan
Trump-backed affordable housing overhaul clears Senate, while House GOP raises red flags
Clyburn, 85, bucks Democrat generational revolt with bid for 18th term in Congress
New Bill to Ban Abortion Pill Hits Senate
Fuentes-Ponce reportedly used a machete during the attack that was so violent, police needed to use a tattoo on her right hand to identify her body, according to NBC Washington.
Her family reported her missing before she was found floating in a creek last May — nearly a month after she was killed — the outlet said.
Co-defendant Joel Escobar pleaded guilty in November and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 26. A separate trial is scheduled for co-defendant Edwin Rios, 19 in April. The attorney for Feuntes-Ponce asked for leniency, according to the Washington Post, and said at the time of the incident, he had a cognitive level of a 9-year-old.
The charges against the final member, a 14-year-old girl, were handled in juvenile court, the outlet said.
Story cited here.
