A Baltimore gang member has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a deadly racketeering conspiracy.
Oscar Armando Sorto Romero, 23, who goes by the street name “Lobo,” will serve life in a federal penitentiary for racketeering conspiracy, racketeering and related violent crimes in aid of racketeering, including two murders, according to a May 9 Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release. All the crimes were tied to his connected to his participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal gang known as MS-13.
“The atrocity of Oscar Armando Sorto Romero’s crimes was reflected in the severity of his sentence; today he will begin to face the consequences for the life he chose,” Selwyn Smith, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore, said in the release. “HSI is proud to have worked with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to bring Sorto Romero to justice.”
According to the news release, Smith hopes the harsh punishment sends a strong message that gangland activities will not be tolerated.
"His sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who might consider a similar path,” Smith said in the release. “HSI Baltimore will continue to work to protect the law-abiding citizens of Maryland from notorious criminal elements like MS-13.”
Participating agencies included the U.S Attorney for the District of Maryland, the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, the Frederick City Police Department, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, Prince George’s County Police Department, the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Montgomery County Police Department and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
