MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced For Rival's Murder In Silver Spring

SILVER SPRING, MD — An MS-13 gang member from El Salvador living in Silver Spring was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for participation in a racketeering conspiracy, including the 2020 murder of a suspected rival gang member.

Oscar Efrain Zavala Urrea, 23, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his activities as part of the MS-13 gang, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for Maryland.

Zavala Urrea was a member of the La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as MS-13, operating in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, as well as nationwide, according to court documents.

From at least January 2020, Zavala Urrea was a member or associate of the MS-13 Fulton Locos Salvatruchas clique and agreed with members of MS-13 to participate in the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity that included murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion and drug distribution, a plea agreement said.

In the spring of 2020, an MS-13 member who was a former roommate of Victim 20, was assaulted by Victim 20 and others because they believed that gang member had stolen property from Victim 20. After being told of the assault, MS-13 members said they would have to retaliate against Victim 20 to maintain its standing, and the group believed that Victim 20 was associated with the rival 18th Street gang, which was a reason to kill him.

According to the plea agreement, Zavala Urrea and other MS-13 members planned the murder of Victim 20 and obtained guns to be used in the murder, meeting in a Silver Spring park so Zavala Urrea discuss the plan to murder Victim 20.

The morning of May 26, 2020, two Fulton Locos Salvatruchas clique members approached Victim 20 as he left his apartment in Silver Spring and shot him repeatedly, hitting him eight times. Victim 20 died from his gunshot wounds.

Zavala Urrea admitted that he also sold marijuana and collected extortion money from brothels and other businesses, passing the proceeds on to gang leadership, authorities said.

Anyone with information about MS-13 is asked to call FBI or Homeland Security tiplines to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.