MS-13 Gangbusters
Newsweek|June 22,2018

MS-13 bedeviled U.S. law enforcement for decades. Then, as the bodies piled up, an inside man helped the feds infi ltrate the world’s most brutal gang

Michele R. Mcphee
MS-13 Gangbusters

THE FIRST BLOW CAME WITHOUT warning. Pelon felt a metal ring crush his right cheekbone. He crumbled to the concrete floor of the garage as a man began a slow count. Uno! A kick to the head. Dos! A punch to the nose. Tres! A knee to the groin. Pelon lost track as a half-dozen men pounded away. It was a cool night in November 2013, and Pelon thought it might be his last.

When the count reached 13, it was over. The group pulled back and cheered, “Welcome to the Mara!”

The assault was an initiation. After months of running with his assailants in and around Boston, Pelon was now an official member of what many consider to be the most dangerous gang in America: La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. Like many new recruits, he was a Salvadoran immigrant who had fled his violent homeland for a better life in the United States.

But he was hardly a natural fit for the gang. At 36, he was more than twice the age of the average MS-13 homeboys, teenagers typically groomed—or intimidated—to join at local high schools. He also lacked the signature tattoos and unofficial MS-13 uniform: blue T-shirt, L.A. Dodgers baseball cap and Nike Cortez sneakers. He preferred collared golf shirts and linen shorts. Getting “jumped in” was never part of his plan. He was a drug dealer who had been paying the gang for protection as he moved cocaine and guns up and down the East Coast. For cover, Pelon drove a gypsy cab around Chelsea, Massachusetts, a city of 35,000 across the Mystic River from Boston. He quickly became the preferred driver of gang leaders. As MS-13 systematically killed its rivals in the 18th Street gang, he had driven members to bury bloody machetes—their weapon of choice—and reveled in their war stories. Now that he was a full-fledged homeboy, they expected more of the man they called “the doggie with the car.”

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 22,2018-Ausgabe von Newsweek.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 22,2018-Ausgabe von Newsweek.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS NEWSWEEKAlle anzeigen
The Next Phase of War
Newsweek US

The Next Phase of War

After thousands of elite soldiers from North Korea joined Vladimir Putin’s forces against Ukraine, how has this latest move affected the conflict?

time-read
6 Minuten  |
November 29, 2024
Saying No to Trump and Men
Newsweek US

Saying No to Trump and Men

The election has led some women to boycott relationships and sex

time-read
7 Minuten  |
November 29, 2024
My Fight for Equality and Justice
Newsweek US

My Fight for Equality and Justice

It will take more than just science to end AIDS. Inclusion, empathy and compassion are essential, too

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 29, 2024
NEW WORLD ORDER
Newsweek US

NEW WORLD ORDER

HOW LEADERS ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE REACTING TO DONALD TRUMP'S REELECTION AS U.S. PRESIDENT

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
November 29, 2024
America's Best CONTINUING CARE
Newsweek US

America's Best CONTINUING CARE

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, RESTAURANTstyle dining, unlimited pickleball-an impressive number of amenities are becoming standard at Continuing Care Retirement Communities.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
November 29, 2024
Hey, Don't Be So SAD
Newsweek US

Hey, Don't Be So SAD

Seasonal affective disorder affects millions of people. Here’s how you can prep your body and mind for darker days

time-read
5 Minuten  |
November 29, 2024
Wendi McLendon-Covey
Newsweek US

Wendi McLendon-Covey

AFTER 10 YEARS OF PLAYING BEVERLY GOLDBERG ON THE GOLDBERGS, Wendi McLendon-Covey was not eager for a break. \"I need to go do a job where I can just throw everything at it and then come home totally exhausted.\"

time-read
1 min  |
November 22, 2024
'I'm the Highest Earner in Esports'
Newsweek US

'I'm the Highest Earner in Esports'

Johan \"NOtail\" Sundstein has won over $7 million but says, \"I don't really crave that status.... I play for my own reasons\"

time-read
6 Minuten  |
November 22, 2024
AMERICA'S BEST Weight Loss CLINICS & CENTERS 2025
Newsweek US

AMERICA'S BEST Weight Loss CLINICS & CENTERS 2025

WHETHER IT'S FOR MEAL PLANS, PROFESSIONAL guidance or access to medications like GLP-1s, weight loss clinics can offer personalized assistance for those hoping to make sustainable lifestyle changes.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
November 22, 2024
AMERICA'S MOST ANTICIPATED NEW VEHICAL 2025
Newsweek US

AMERICA'S MOST ANTICIPATED NEW VEHICAL 2025

WHETHER IT'S A NEWLY IMAGined sport utility vehicle or the re-emergence of a highly regarded halo car, the vehicles coming to market in 2025 prove that Americans' attitudes about personal transportation are diverse and are being served from all angles.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
November 22, 2024