Gang making inroads in southern Otero County

http://www.alamogordonews.com/news/ci_4752240

Alamogordo Daily News
By John Bear, Staff Writer
Article Launched:12/01/2006 12:00:00 AM MST

Southern Otero County is playing host to some unwelcome guests.

Namely, Mara Salvatrucha 13, or MS 13, a large street gang with roots in Central America.

According to numerous articles from Newsweek and the New Republic, among others, the gang formed in Los Angeles as a way to protect Salvadoran immigrants from Mexican gangs. It has since fanned out across the United States, and diversified into narcotics, immigrant smuggling and other felonious activities. It has tens of thousands of members in several Central American countries.

It is also incredibly nasty in it's disposition, according to the New Republic, which called it "the most dangerous gang in America."

It's star appears to be rising. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, several of its members have been convicted under the RICO act, a piece of federal legislation reserved for organized criminal enterprises.

An FBI press release said the gang has around 10,000 members in the United States.

It has allegedly imported techniques usually reserved for developing countries, such as hacking limbs off with machetes, according to the Washington Post.

Capt. Norbert Sanchez of the Otero County Sheriff's Department said cells are beginning to move into New Mexico via El Paso and Juarez.

Specifically, the gang has shown up in Chaparral.

Sanchez said his department has not made contact with any members but there is evidence they are they, most notably the MS 13 tag showing up around the border community.

The Doņa Ana County Sheriff's Department, which has a station in the Doņa Ana side of Chaparral, could not be reached for comment.

Sanchez said his department wants to "make everyone aware, but not create panic." He said gangs are nothing new in New Mexico, but MS 13's alleged connections with drug cartels make it a cause for concern.

He added the gang has a history of violence toward law enforcement, which makes them a greater threat.

"Officer safety is a factor," he said. "We want to make sure officers are safe."

He said members will often have the MS 13 logo tattooed on their bodies, making them recognizable. According to the New Republic, the gang wears blue and white, the colors of El Salvador's flag. Members tend to be Salvadorans, but it is believed other Central and South American individuals form its ranks.

Special Agent Bill Elwell of the FBI's Albuquerque office said his outfit is in contact with local law enforcement agencies concerning the gang's activities. He declined to comment on any specific investigation. The FBI has set up a multi-agency gang task force to confront MS 13 and other gangs.