Murder, conspiracy charges added in counterfeit ID case

October 25, 2007
By Chris Hack, Staff writer
The Oak Lawn man accused of running a massive counterfeit identification ring in Chicago's Little Village community faces new murder-related charges alleging he had a competitor gunned down in Mexico.

Julio Leija-Sanchez, 31, of the 8700 block of S. Austin Avenue, was first arrested in April along with dozens of others in a high-profile bust of the ring that allegedly sold bogus documents to illegal immigrants. In an indictment handed down late Tuesday, he was slapped with new federal charges of racketeering, murder conspiracy and murder for hire.

Racketeering charges also were filed against Leija-Sanchez's two brothers, Manuel Leija-Sanchez, 40, and Pedro Leija-Sanchez, 35. The two brothers recently were arrested in Mexico and face extradition.

Also nabbed in Mexico and named in the new indictment is alleged hitman Gerardo Salazar-Rodriguez.

"The arrests of Manuel and Pedro Leija-Sanchez and Salazar-Rodriguez in Mexico are landmark achievements in the dismantling of one of the largest fraudulent document organizations operating in Chicago and throughout the country," Elissa Brown, of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Chicago office, said in a statement. "These arrests prove that international borders are not barriers for fugitives to hide behind."

According to prosecutors, Julio Leija-Sanchez oversaw an operation that sold between 50 and 100 sets of bogus identification documents - each set selling for several hundred dollars - every day from an operations hub at the Little Village Discount Mall at 26th Street and Albany Avenue. The document sets often included Social Security cards, so-called immigration "green cards" and driver's licenses.

When one of the ring's top members split off and planned to set up a competing counterfeit operation in Indiana, Julio Leija-Sanchez allegedly told Salazar-Rodriguez to track him down in Mexico.

Salazar-Rodriguez eventually reported back he had shot the suspected turncoat 15 times ---and was confident his hollow-point bullets tore through the man's liver because he saw black blood at the scene, according to transcripts of an intercepted phone call.

"Hell, everything smelled like blood, dude," Salazar-Rodriguez allegedly said of the slaying's aftermath. "I called your buddy ... and told him I was on my way. I asked him if he had any beers because you get full of adrenaline, you know? Then I pounded some beers, and I calmed down."
All three Leija-Sanchez brothers and Salazar-Rodriguez could face the death penalty if convicted on the new charges. An arraignment date has not been set.

Chris Hack may be reached at chack@dailysouthtown.com or (70 633-5984
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