BOSTON — William Pineda Portillo, a 31-year-old Everett man and member of the violent transnational gang MS-13, pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to conspiracy to conduct racketeering activity under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Pineda Portillo, also known as “Humilde,” admitted to his role in a 2010 murder and other crimes committed as part of the Trece Locos Salvatrucha (TLS) clique, an MS-13 faction operating in Somerville, Massachusetts. Senior U.S. District Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025.
Brutal 2010 Murder Linked to MS-13
According to court documents, Pineda Portillo conspired with co-defendant Jose Vasquez—who previously pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering—to murder a 28-year-old man in Chelsea on December 18, 2010. The victim, suspected by MS-13 members of belonging to a rival gang, was lured to a secluded area under the Route 1 on-ramp on Fifth Street, where he was stabbed repeatedly and beaten with a rock.
Evidence showed Pineda Portillo drove the victim and MS-13 members to the scene in a green SUV registered to his father. Vasquez’s palm print was later found on a knife recovered at the crime scene, which also bore the victim’s blood. The victim died from his injuries at a nearby hospital.
Flight, Firearms, and Failed Retribution
Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could question him about the murder. After returning to the U.S., he allegedly arranged to sell a loaded firearm to a cooperating witness in 2015 and later plotted to kill another MS-13 member he falsely believed was aiding law enforcement.
Indicted in 2017, Pineda Portillo was deported to El Salvador before facing charges. He was arrested on May 10, 2022, while attempting to re-enter the U.S. illegally near the Texas-Mexico border. A fingerprint analysis confirmed an outstanding warrant, leading to his extradition to Massachusetts.
Law Enforcement Collaboration
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Brian A. Fogerty, and Meghan C. Cleary, with investigative support from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Massachusetts State Police, and local departments in Somerville and Chelsea. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also assisted.
Racketeering conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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