Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, a 27-year-old Salvadoran national and former member of the Uniones Locos Salvatrucha clique of the Mara Salvatrucha 13 gang, was sentenced to six concurrent life prison sentences in federal court for his involvement in six murders and murder conspiracies in Reston, Great Falls, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. His convictions include conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, five counts of conspiracy to commit murder, five counts of murder, and three counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death.
In New Bedford, Alas Candray and MS-13 members beat to death a gang member and dismembered his body, while in Reston, they killed a man by shooting and slashing him with a machete, shot a woman believed to be associated with a rival gang, fatally shot a man at an apartment complex, killed a man by dropping a large rock on his head, and beat and stabbed a man in Great Falls. Alas Candray was also convicted of conspiracy to relay information to ULS members and associates to dispose of ammunition and move locations to avoid authorities.
Jessica D. Aber, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, described the case as a reminder of the violence and disregard for human life inherent in MS-13’s criminal activities. Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department emphasized that the verdict sends a clear message that the community will not tolerate violence and will hold individuals accountable for their actions.
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