The Salvadoran Moisés Humberto Rivera Luna, known as “Santos” and “Viejo Santos”, 55, alleged international leader of the MS-13 gang, appeared this Thursday, March 6 in a court in the Columbia district after being extradited from Guatemala to face charges of organized crime conspiracy, the Department of Justice reported.
Rivera Luna was extradited by Guatemala towards the US on March 4after having been imprisoned at the Center for Preventive Detention for Men Constitutional Reinstasion Pavoncito since April 19, 2022.
The government alleges that Rivera Luna, while he was imprisoned in El Salvador, supervised the operations of members of the MS-13 in Washington and that, after his release, traveled to Guatemala, where he was captured for extradition purposes.
According to the Department of Justice, Rivera Luna is one of the seven defendants in a fourth formal accusation of nine positions, which was presented on May 9, 2013, accusing them of conspiracy to commit organized crime, murder in support of organized crime, kidnapping, assault with a lethal weapon and other crimes. However, he is only accused of conspiracy to commit organized crime.
The formal accusation indicates that the MS-13 participates in organized crime activities, which include murders, distribution of narcotics, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice and other crimes.
In addition, it establishes that some of the defendants allegedly participated in aggressions against members of rival gangs, threatened people who believed they cooperated with the forces of the order and made extortion.
The accusation details that the range of criminal activities denounced includes acts committed in the district of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and other states, so it is presumed that there was frequent contact between members of the MS-13 in the metropolitan area of Washington and El Salvador, and that members imprisoned in that country encouraged or ordered aggressions and murders.
Therefore, Rivera Luna is indicated as the international leader of the MS-13, who sent orders and advice to gang members operating in Washington through telephone calls from their cell in a prison in El Salvador.
The prosecution’s accusation details that Rivera Luna and another leader of the MS-13, Marvin Geovanny Monterrosa Larios, also imprisoned in El Salvador, directed a coalition of the gang that would be formed in Washington to search and kill the members who cooperated with the police.
“Viejo Santos” is accused of having ordered the murder of Louis Alberto Membreno Zelaya, 27, who died stabbed on November 6, 2008, in the northwest of Washington. In addition, he is told to have authorized the murder of Felipe Enriquez, 25, whose body was found on March 31, 2010, in Montgomery County, Maryland.
The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice provided assistance to achieve the extradition of Rivera Luna from Guatemala.
“The appearance of this accused in the Federal Court of Washington today demonstrates our tireless commitment to seek justice for the victims, regardless of how long it takes. Thanks to the incredible work of our federal prosecutors and members of the forces of the order, we are one step closer to ending the situation of the numerous victims of the alleged brutal violence of this accused,” said Antoinette T. Bacon, supervisor of the criminal division of the criminal division of the criminal division Department of Justice.
Cooperation between #USA AND #Gua It allows to take criminals to justice, including individuals such as Moises Rivera-Luna of the MS-13, who threaten our communities. Together with elements of the MP and the PNC unit advised by the FBI Anti-Pandillas Center … pic.twitter.com/tnldkibdtv
– Us Embassy Guatemala (@usembassyguate) March 6, 2025
“The persecution that lasted a decade of this alleged violent member of a gang illustrates the determination of our office to remain focused and bring to justice those who violate the law regardless of where they are, regardless of how much time it takes,” said federal prosecutor Edward R. Martin Jr. for the Columbia district.
Distance brand
In October 2022, Insight Crime, who investigates and analyzes organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean, spoke with Rivera Luna in Pavoncito, where he was held in Guatemala waiting for his extradition.
In the conversation, he said that he is a “fearful” man and said that years ago he marked distance with the dome of the MS-13 by ideological differences. He said he does not “like politics or deal with governments.”
“Old Santos” was arrested in Guatemala as he tried to arrive in the United States by land. According to his version, at that time he had started a new chapter of his life and tried to reach the US, because after 22 years of confinement in Salvadoran prisons he wanted to start over.
However, the Guatemala police stopped him in Mixco during an anti -Pandilla operation in which, according to him, they didn’t even look for him.
“I was going up (United States),” he said “old saints” from Pavoncito, “but there I stayed.”
“Old Santos” Historic Leader of the MS-13 Salvadoran is notified of application for extradition to the United States
On April 19, 2022 he was captured in Mixco with firearms and two other Salvuatruchas Salvadoran. pic.twitter.com/sq8yafemox
– PNC of Guatemala (@pncdeguatemala) July 29, 2022