In federal court in Boston on July 18, Jose Adan Martinez Castro, a/k/a “Chucky,” 29, a Salvadoran national formerly residing in Richmond, Va., received sentencing for racketeering conspiracy as the leader of the MS-13 East Coast Program.
U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV imposed a sentence of 235 months in prison, which represents the maximum term suggested under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Following his release, Castro faces deportation. He had entered a guilty plea in November 2017 to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, commonly known as RICO or racketeering conspiracy.
Castro was identified as one of dozens of MS-13 leaders, members, and associates named in a superseding indictment made public in January 2016 following an extended investigation. This indictment focused on MS-13’s criminal operations in Massachusetts. According to court filings, the organization’s members carried out numerous racketeering acts and violent crimes, including six murders committed by MS-13 members in Massachusetts between October 2014 and January 2016.
Among 49 defendants convicted in this case, Castro was included. Of those prosecuted, nine proceeded to trial and were all convicted, while 40 others entered guilty pleas.
Through the investigation, authorities determined that Castro led MS-13’s East Coast Program. Massachusetts cliques largely operate under this program, which extends to cliques in Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, and Ohio.
On Dec. 13, 2015, law enforcement recorded a leadership meeting of the East Coast Program at Castro’s Richmond residence using a cooperating witness. This recording documented the gang’s organizational hierarchy, leadership framework, recruitment practices, and its operational methods, goals, and principles. Attending were leaders representing cliques from Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia.
During this meeting, Castro and other attendees addressed the capacity within the East Coast Program to accommodate all assembled cliques in coordinated operations. Discussion also centered on improving planning and coordination for hits (i.e., murders), with Castro confirming that MS-13 leadership approval was typically required before local members could execute murders. Participants also addressed transferring money to El Salvador to fund MS-13, strengthening gang unity and territorial control, and eliminating anyone providing information against the organization. An MS-13 leader based in El Salvador also joined the meeting by phone, offering guidance to the assembled leaders.