Mexico and El Salvador issue major sentences for kidnapping and gang crimes

In Mexico, a federal judge has sentenced nine members of a criminal organization to prison terms of up to 165 years for their involvement in the 2015 kidnapping of actress and singer Irán Castillo. The group utilized a method of causing rear-end collisions to force motorists to stop before abducting them. The sentences, handed down by the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), cover crimes including organized crime, aggravated kidnapping, and illegal possession of firearms. The group operated across Mexico City and various municipalities in the State of Mexico.

In El Salvador, members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, including Josué Germain González Mejía and Giovanni Andrés Hernández, have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The convictions, issued by the Fourth Organized Crime Court of San Salvador, follow charges of homicide, extortion, disappearances, and terrorism. These legal actions were carried out under the country’s ongoing state of exception, which was implemented to combat gang control in the capital and surrounding areas.