ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In a decisive ruling on Thursday, a federal court in Virginia handed down life sentences to Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, a noted leader of the international MS-13 gang, for his role in a series of gruesome murders, including the killing of a young woman who had criticized the gang on social media.
At 27 years old, Alas Candray will spend the remainder of his life in prison after being convicted on multiple counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The court issued six life sentences to be served concurrently, along with additional terms for his numerous violent offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Braun described Alas Candray’s actions as “exceedingly brutal,” underscoring his method of attacking victims from behind and mutilating their bodies post-mortem.
Defense arguments suggested that Alas Candray’s violent behavior was shaped by his early exposures to gang violence in his native El Salvador. His attorney, Andrew Stewart, presented this context as a significant factor in his client’s life trajectory.
The crimes leading to Thursday’s sentencing began surfacing in 2018. One case involved a gang associate in Massachusetts who was beaten, strangled, and dismembered, with his remains scattered in a wooded area. Another violent act occurred in May 2019, when Alas Candray orchestrated the murder of a victim on a trail claimed by the gang.
In September 2020, the gang targeted 19-year-old Iris Janet Ponce Garcia. She was lured into the woods and shot 16 times in the face for publicly denouncing the gang’s activities online. This brutal execution highlighted the extent of the gang’s ruthless enforcement of loyalty.
The pattern of violence continued over the following years. In March 2021, a 40-year-old man was ambushed and murdered in his home. The following year, a 27-year-old man not only was fatally shot but also had his body desecrated with a large rock.
Another chilling incident in 2022 involved the torture and killing of a fellow gang member. His dismembered body was buried in the woods, and authorities only discovered the remains over a year later.
MS-13, also known as La Mara Salvatrucha, primarily comprises immigrants from El Salvador and has established a formidable presence in various regions across the United States. The gang is notorious for its highly organized and brutal criminal activities.
The sentencing of Alas Candray represents a major victory for law enforcement officials in their ongoing battle against organized crime. It serves as a stern warning to other gang leaders and members about the severe consequences of engaging in such violent acts.