A federal jury in Nevada has convicted three members of the transnational gang MS-13 for executing a coordinated string of nine murders and multiple kidnappings across two states. Jose Luis Reynaldo Reyes-Castillo, 30, known within the gang as “Molesto”; David Arturo Perez-Manchame, 27, known as “Herbi”; and Joel Vargas-Escobar, 30, known as “Momia,” were found guilty of racketeering conspiracy and an array of violent federal offenses.

Background

According to evidence and testimony presented during the trial, the three men belonged to the “Parkview clique,” a local subset of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) operating out of Las Vegas. The gang, composed primarily of individuals of Central American descent, relied on extreme violence to secure geographic territory.

The timeline of violence detailed in court began in December 2017, when the clique authorized the killing of a rival gang member. Reyes-Castillo and an accomplice abducted the man from downtown Mendota, California, drove him to a rural area, and attacked him so severely with a machete and knives that his body was left unrecognizable.

Convictions and Sentencing

The jury convicted Reyes-Castillo of racketeering conspiracy, eight counts of murder in aid of racketeering, and six counts of causing death through a firearm, alongside multiple weapons and kidnapping charges. Perez-Manchame was found guilty of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder, and two counts of kidnapping, while Vargas-Escobar was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, one count of murder, and related firearm counts.

U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro has scheduled the formal sentencing hearing for November 10, 2026, where the federal court will determine the final terms based on statutory guidelines. Because of the nature of the racketeering and murder charges, all three men face mandatory sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.