Two Maras ( MS-13 ) in Woodbridge, VA Convicted of Murder

By Amanda Stewart
Published: June 17, 2009

A jury in U.S. District Court in Alexandria recently found two gang members guilty of killing a Woodbridge teen believed to be in a rival gang.

After a trial last week, the jury found Rafael Parada-Mendoza, 22, and Gabriel Hosman Perez-Amaya guilty of killing 19-year-old Christian Argueta in front of Springfield Mall on Dec. 2, 2007.

The two men were each convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death and possession of a firearm by an illegal immigrant.

According to prosecutors, Parada-Mendoza and Perez-Amaya were both illegal immigrants from El Salvador and members of the criminal street gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13.

According to court documents, Parada-Mendoza and Perez-Amaya were outside of the Cerro Grande restaurant at Springfield Mall around 2 a.m. Dec. 2, 2007.

They saw Argueta and another man, who prosecutors say were members of rival gang Southside Locos, sitting in a car outside the restaurant.

Parada-Mendoza and Perez-Amaya flashed gang signs and Argueta and the other man got out of their car.

Then Parada-Mendoza pulled out a handgun and shot Argueta, according to prosecutors.
The other man was able to escape unharmed.

According to prosecutors, the men murdered Argueta to increase their position in MS-13 and recounted the killing at a gang meeting hours after Argueta was shot.Parada-Mendoza and Perez-Amaya face a mandatory sentence of life in prison when they are sentenced in federal court Sept. 11.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.

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