Greenbelt, Maryland - A federal grand jury has returned a third superseding indictment charging Ramon Miguel Cerros-Cruz, age 23, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Alexsi Lopez, age 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, with conspiracy and the violent robbery of a Hyattsville brothel that allegedly resulted in a rape and murder. Ramon Cerros-Cruz was previously charged with these crimes. The third superseding indictment returned late yesterday added Alexsi Lopez as a defendant in the case.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to the indictment, Cerros-Cruz and Lopez knew each other through their association with the MS-13 gang. The two count indictment alleges that Cerros-Cruz and Lopez, familiarized themselves with the location and operation of brothels in the Hyattsville-Langley Park area of Prince George’s County. Cerros-Cruz and Lopez allegedly planned the robbery of a Hyattsville brothel apartment, armed with knives, and using force and violence. The indictment charges that on Feb. 28, 2007, Cerros-Cruz and Lopez entered the brothel apartment, demanding money from persons within the brothel and searching the apartment for money and items of value. The indictment charges that during the robbery Cerros-Cruz and Lopez bound one of the employees, raped another employee and murdered a third person who arrived at the brothel during the commission of the rape and robbery and resisted the demands of the defendants.
The defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy and for the robbery.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised HSI Baltimore and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William D. Moomau and Steven E. Swaney, who are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
