SANTA CRUZ — A federal judge has sentenced two former Santa Cruz-based gang members to more than two decades each of prison time.
A federal grand jury indicted Erick Escalante-Torres and Jose Noe Ramirez-Avelar, part of an original group of 12 codefendants who have since been convicted, for racketeering-related crimes in 2018. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila handed down the sentences of 27 years, 11 months for Escalante-Torres and 22 years for Ramirez-Avelar.
RELATED: Senior leader of MS-13 arrested in California after 4 years on the run
The Salvadoran-based gang La Mara Salvatrucha, known as MS-13, had established a Santa Cruz-based arm rewarding members’ criminal activities benefitting the gang, including violent crimes such as murder and attempted murder of rival gang members, according to a media release from U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey, of the Northern District of California.
Federal prosecutors struck a plea deal with two men in August 2024 for racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit a murder in aid of racketeering and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. Escalante-Torres also pleaded guilty to attempted murder in aid of racketeering and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
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Escalante-Torres and Ramirez-Avelar executed a plan on Sept. 22, 2016, to fatally shoot a man, unaffiliated with a rival gang, who would routinely walk late at night to pick up his fiancee at a taqueria, according to the release.
Separately, Escalante-Torres and others drove into rival gang territory and fired two shots in July 2016, hitting one victim in the leg, according to the release. Based on court filings, the two men were said to have helped destroy evidence from a murder committed by another Northern California MS-13 clique in May and June 2016.
