16 and 20 years in prison for four MS gang members, who with weapons of war extorted a merchant who enjoys a protection regime. The extortion was carried out in the municipality of La Reina, Chalatenango, in January 2021.
According to investigations, Fidel Antonio Caballero Ardón, alias “Celia Cruz”; Francisco Javier Portillo Pérez, alias “Choki”; Oscar Antonio Rodríguez Portillo, alias “Perica”, and José Alonso García Borjas, alias “chino”, are gang talkers and collaborators.
The defendants arrived at the workplace of the victim to demand $4,000 dollars in rent, which he had to pay monthly, and threatened that if he did not do so, they would kill him and his family group.
Fearing retaliation, the victim agreed and gave them a $2,000 down payment while collecting the rest of the rent tax. On January 24 of the same year, the victim gave the other $2,000 dollars to the defendants and with this completed the required extortion.
After paying the rent to the gang members, the victim decided to approach the Prosecutor’s Office to file a complaint because she was still afraid that they would continue with the extortions and carry out their threats.
With the data provided in the complaint, it was possible to profile the gang members and identify them in such a way that while police agents patrolled the area, they observed several subjects drinking intoxicating drinks in the Tilapa canton. When checking the defendants, García Borjas was carrying a classified submachine gun. as a weapon of war – its carrying and possession is prohibited in the country for private use.
Subsequently, the investigative procedures were carried out and the victim identified the accused detained by means of photographs.
In the trial held at the Chalatenango Sentencing Court, the FGR presented as evidence of the crime some documents, interviews, complaint, photographic album and the testimony of the victim, who narrated the event at the hearing. All the elements were key to establishing the sentences.
In this sense, García Borjas was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the crimes of Aggravated Extortion and Illegal Possession, Carrying or Driving of War Weapons.
And 16 years in prison were imposed on Caballero Ardón, Portillo Pérez and Rodríguez Portillo for the crime of Aggravated Extortion.
