MS-13 gang members sentenced for previously unsolved murder in Massachusetts

Two members of the violent MS-13 gang have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a previously unsolved 2010 murder, following an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England.

Jose Vasquez, also known as “Cholo” and “Little Crazy,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In May, he pleaded guilty to committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering. Vasquez was already serving a 212-month sentence from a 2018 federal conviction for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. He will now serve a total of 37 years in prison for the MS-13-related crimes.

Additionally, Salvadoran national William Pineda Portillo, also known as “Humilde,” was sentenced to 16 years in prison and three years of supervised release. He is subject to deportation after completing his sentence. In 2023, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise.

The two men were indicted by a federal grand jury last September along with other MS-13 members. Authorities say the men conspired to murder a 28-year-old man in 2010. The victim was found by law enforcement with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back and later died at the hospital.

A recent reexamination of evidence identified Vasquez and other MS-13 members as responsible for the killing. Investigators also found that Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, additional gang members, and the victim, then drove them to the location where the murder occurred.

After the killing, Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador. He returned to the US in 2015 but was deported in 2017. Around five years later, he was arrested while attempting to illegally cross the border from Mexico into Texas. Following his arrest, he admitted to being an MS-13 member. A fingerprint analysis revealed there was a warrant for his arrest.