MS-13 gang linked to Annapolis teenager's death

Three members of the MS-13 gang are facing charges connected to the death of a teenager from Annapolis, David Rivera. This includes a gang leader who recently pleaded guilty to multiple murders. The gang leader, David Sosa-Guevara, was found guilty in New York of nine murders that occurred between 2016 and 2017. Rivera's death in August 2017 was the only murder that took place outside of Long Island. Sosa-Guevara is said to have moved to Maryland to evade law enforcement and was involved in a plan that led to Rivera’s death. The FBI described MS-13's actions as brutal and aimed at asserting control over territory. The gang has a history of violence, requiring members to prove themselves by attacking rivals. Rivera was identified as a rival gang member, and he was last seen on August 29, 2017. On that day, he was attacked by MS-13 members with machetes. In addition to Sosa-Guevara, two other men, Erick Guillen Pleitez and Manuel Erazo Alvardo, have been indicted for murder in aid of racketeering. While Rivera's name was not explicitly mentioned, the timing suggests their involvement in his death. This case comes amid concerns over multiple disappearances in the Hispanic communities of Anne Arundel County between 2015 and 2017. Other missing individuals from that time have also been linked to MS-13 violence. Sosa-Guevara faces a lengthy prison sentence of up to 65 years, with sentencing scheduled for July 9. Rivera's body was not discovered until June 2024, and further details about the case and the involvement of Alvarado and Pleitez are still pending.