ALLEGED MEMBERS OF THE 18TH STREET GANG INDICTED IN A RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY INVOLVING FIVE MURDERS, EXTORTION, ARMED ROBBERY AND OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury today indicted the following alleged members of the 18th Street Gang for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, which engaged in murder and attempted murder, including the murder of three individuals in Maryland and two individuals in Washington, D.C., armed robberies, and obstruction of justice:

• Mario Molina-Valladares, a/k/a Tiger, age 32, of Hyattsville, Maryland;
• Edgar Mauricio Rogel Vasquez, a/k/a Paradise, Carlos Mauricio Barahona age 25, of Wheaton, Maryland;
• Omar Rafael Villegas-Martinez, a/k/a Lunar, age 35, of Gaithersburg, Maryland;
• Hector Antonio Amaya Flores, a/k/a Nené, age 34, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland;
• Jose Rivera Dominguez, a/k/a Pirra, age 20, of Silver Spring, Maryland;
• Ysaud Flores, a/k/a Snyder, age 31, of Germantown, Maryland; and
• Joel Ventura-Quintanilla, a/k/a Clon, age 24, of Germantown, Maryland.

All of the defendants are charged in the RICO conspiracy. Molina-Valladares, Vasquez and Martinez are also charged with conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and proceeding and obstruction of a criminal investigation and proceeding. Amaya Flores is also charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition and Dominguez is charged with making false statements.

The second superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein, Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — Baltimore Field Division; Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg Police Department; Chief Roberto L. Hylton of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Larry Brownlee of the Maryland National Capital Park Police — Prince George’s County Division; Montgomery County Sheriff Raymond M. Kight and Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.