MS-13 Bonilla Sentencing Memo 2
MS-13 Bonilla Sentencing Memo 2
Plaintiff,
JUDGE EDMUND A. SARGUS, JR.
v.
JOSE BONILLA-MEJIA
a/k/a Emedalio Mejia-Bonilla
a/k/a Espia
Defendant.
The United States, by and through undersigned counsel, hereby submits the following
sentencing memorandum to aid the Court in its consideration of sentencing issues in this case.
BACKGROUND
On February 15, 2018, the grand jury in the Southern District of Ohio returned the
Second Superseding Indictment, which charges the defendant, Jose Bonilla-Mejia (a/k/a Espia),
with one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) [Count
[Counts Two through Four]; and one count of murder through the use of a firearm during and in
U.S.C. § 2 [Count Five]. The Second Superseding Indictment also includes a forfeiture
allegation and a substitute assets clause requiring the defendant to relinquish his interest in any
On August 7, 2019, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia entered a plea of guilty to Counts One, Two, and
1
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 2 of 15 PAGEID #: 4008
Three of the Second Superseding Indictment, consistent with the terms of the plea agreement
into which the United States and the defendant entered pursuant to Rule 11(c)(1)(A) of the
Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. The defendant also agreed to forfeit any right, title, and
interest in any and all property that he acquired or maintained in connection with the charged
criminal activity. In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that he unlawfully conspired to
enterprise that operated in the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere. Specifically, the
defendant admitted that as a member of MS-13, he committed, and conspired with others to
The Probation Officer released the final Presentence Investigation Report (“PSR”) on
November 26, 2019. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for February 27, 2020.
The Probation Officer calculated the defendant’s advisory sentencing range under the
Offense Level of 43 and a Criminal History Category of I. The Probation Officer identified three
factors that could support an upward departure in this case, and also noted that the nature and
circumstances of the offense and the defendant’s history and characteristics could warrant a
each count (to be served concurrently), a term of supervised release of five years on each count
The United States agrees with the Probation Officer’s factual findings and computation of
the Guidelines range, and thus has no objections to the PSR. As set forth below, the United
States concurs with the Probation Officer’s sentencing recommendation and requests that the
2
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 3 of 15 PAGEID #: 4009
Court impose a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of release, which is the
mandatory sentence in this case. The Court should also impose a term of supervised release of
five years and order the defendant to pay restitution in the amount of $1,653.03.
After United States v. Booker, 543 U.S. 220 (2005), district courts should engage in a
three-step sentencing procedure. See U.S.S.G. § 1B1.1(a)-(c) (outlining the sentencing process).
First, the Court should calculate the applicable Guidelines range. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S.
38, 49 (2007) (“As a matter of administration and to secure nationwide consistency, the
Guidelines should be the starting point and the initial benchmark.”). Second, the Court should
consider whether a departure from the Guidelines range is appropriate. Rita v. United States, 551
U.S. 338, 351 (2007). Third, the Court should consider “all of the [18 U.S.C.] § 3553(a) factors”
in deciding what sentence to impose. Gall, 552 U.S. at 49–50. Under 18 U.S.C. § 3553, the
Court is directed to “impose a sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to comply with
the purposes” of sentencing set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(2). 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Booker
requires that the sentence a district court imposes be reasonable. United States v. Jackson, 408
F.3d 301, 304 (6th Cir. 2005). A sentence within the applicable Guidelines range is deemed
presumptively reasonable. Rita, 551 U.S. at 347; United States v. Graham-Wright, 715 F.3d 598,
604 (6th Cir. 2013); United States v. Williams, 436 F.3d 706, 708 (6th Cir. 2006) (“We now join
several sister circuits in crediting sentences properly calculated under the Guidelines with a
The Probation Officer calculated Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s Total Offense Level as 45, which
was adjusted to 43 based on the operation of the Guidelines. See U.S.S.G., Ch. 5, Part A, App.
3
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 4 of 15 PAGEID #: 4010
Note 2. In light of the absence of prior criminal convictions, the defendant was assigned to
The Probation Officer identified three possible bases for an upward departure from the
applicable Guidelines range: U.S.S.G. §§ 5K2.1 (death(s) resulted from the offense), 5K2.3
(victim(s) suffered extreme psychological injury), and 5K2.8 (defendant’s conduct was unusually
heinous, cruel, brutal, or degrading to the victim(s)). The United States will defer to the Court
regarding whether and how to apply these provisions of the Guidelines. The government notes
that, because the Guidelines call for a sentence of life imprisonment, it would be impossible to
In addition to the Guidelines, the Court must consider seven factors in determining a
sentence: (1) the nature and circumstances of the offense and the history and characteristics of
the defendant; (2) the statutory purposes of sentencing; (3) the kinds of sentences available;
(4) the kinds of sentences and the sentencing range as set forth in the Guidelines; (5) the
Guidelines policy statements; (6) the need to avoid unwarranted sentencing disparities; and
(7) the need to provide restitution to any victims of the offense. 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). The
United States submits that careful consideration of these factors supports a sentence of life
imprisonment without the possibility of release, which is the mandatory sentence in this case.
See 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1). Such a sentence would also be consistent with the applicable
4
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 5 of 15 PAGEID #: 4011
El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. MS-13 has become one of the largest criminal
organizations in the United States, with more than 10,000 members and associates estimated to
be operating in at least 40 states. In Ohio and other states, MS-13 is organized into “cliques,”
which are smaller groups of MS-13 members and associates who act on behalf of the enterprise
in a specific region, city, or part of a city. This organizational structure facilitates the
transmission of orders from MS-13 leadership in El Salvador to cliques in the United States and
the transmission of money from cliques in the United States to gang leadership in El Salvador.
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia had a leadership position in the organization, a fact made clear by his
2015 – a meeting that included the attendees receiving direction (via telephone) from a gang
leader in El Salvador who wielded authority over a number of MS-13 cliques in the eastern half
As set forth in the Second Superseding Indictment, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia and his co-
defendants knowingly and unlawfully conspired to participate in the affairs of the MS-13
enterprise in Ohio and elsewhere over the course of more than a decade. MS-13 members and
associates in the Southern District of Ohio engaged in a wide range of criminal activity,
including murder, drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, assault, obstruction of justice,
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia adopted the goals of the enterprise by conspiring with other MS-13 members
and associates to commit three violent, premeditated homicides in the Columbus area.
5
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 6 of 15 PAGEID #: 4012
The victim of Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s first homicide in the Southern District of Ohio was
Carlos Serrano-Ramos (a/k/a Migra), a man who claimed to be an MS-13 member from Virginia.
The defendant and his co-conspirators suspected that Mr. Serrano-Ramos was in fact a member
of the rival 18th Street gang, due in no small part to the presence of suspicious tattoos on his
body. After conducting an investigation, the MS-13 members decided that Mr. Serrano-Ramos
had to be killed. Martin Neftali Aguilar-Rivera (a/k/a Momia), the leader of the Columbus
In the summer of 2015, MS-13 lured Mr. Serrano-Ramos to the home of co-defendant
Juan Jose Jimenez-Montufar (a/k/a Chele Trece) at 3350 Anita Street, Columbus, Ohio, under
the guise of gathering for a barbeque. Later that night, eight MS-13 members, including
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia, offered to drive Mr. Serrano-Ramos home. This was also a ruse. Instead of
taking the victim to his residence, they drove to Innis Park and walked into a wooded area.
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia and five of his associates then attacked Mr. Serrano-Ramos. What began as a
beating ended with the MS-13 members stabbing the victim to death with a knife and burying his
body in a shallow grave. According to the forensic anthropologists who examined Mr. Serrano-
Ramos’s skeletonized remains, the victim suffered at least 29 cut wounds consistent with sharp
force trauma.
After the homicide, the MS-13 members burned the clothes they had worn during the
murder. A co-defendant destroyed the victim’s cellular telephone and the knife and gloves that
6
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 7 of 15 PAGEID #: 4013
Less than six months later, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia committed another homicide. This time,
the victim was Wilson Villeda, a 17 year-old high school student. Mr. Villeda spent time with
members of the Columbus clique and may have been interested in joining the gang. However,
the co-conspirators had other ideas. They questioned Mr. Villeda’s allegiance to MS-13 because
of his tattoos, which they believed signaled an affiliation with a rival gang. Ultimately, they
sought and received authorization from MS-13 leadership in El Salvador to kill the victim.
The co-conspirators put their plan into action on the evening of November 14, 2015.
That night, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia and more than a dozen other MS-13 members and associates –
several of whom traveled to Ohio from other states specifically to participate in this homicide –
waited at and around 3350 Anita Street. Mr. Aguilar-Rivera brought Mr. Villeda to this
residence and, like Mr. Serrano-Ramos before him, the victim was taken into the woods of Innis
Park and slaughtered. During the horrific attack, the gang members took turns stabbing,
slashing, and cutting Mr. Villeda with a machete and other bladed weapons. Mr. Bonilla-Mejia
took photographs of the victim’s mutilated body on his cell phone and sent those pictures to
other MS-13 members in California with a message that said, “I got a little crazy with the
homies.” The co-conspirators buried the victim’s body in a shallow grave near where
Mr. Serrano-Ramos was buried. Medical reports describe between 70 and 92 chop-like injuries
The day after this homicide, the MS-13 members gathered to burn Mr. Villeda’s clothing.
The weapons that the group used during the murder were grounded down, and the remaining
7
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 8 of 15 PAGEID #: 4014
MS-13 members began planning the murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz (a/k/a Rabanito)
in 2015. Mr. Martinez-Diaz demonstrated his allegiance to the 18th Street gang, MS-13’s chief
rival, with a large tattoo of the numerals “X,” “V,” and “3” on his back. That tattoo sealed his
fate. For over a year, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia and his co-conspirators prepared to kill their victim.
They conducted surveillance of Mr. Martinez at his home, his place of employment, and the field
on which he played soccer. Mr. Bonilla-Mejia used a female associate to communicate with
Mr. Martinez-Diaz on Facebook and pretend to have a romantic interest in him, all in furtherance
of the scheme to murder him. In one instance, the gang attempted to lure Mr. Martinez-Diaz to
3350 Anita Street, where Mr. Bonilla-Mejia and several other MS-13 members and associates
were waiting to kill him. The co-conspirators put large sheets of plastic on the walls and floors
of the trailer to catch the victim’s blood and had their bladed weapons at the ready, but their
Before the MS-13 members could finally execute their plot to kill Mr. Martinez-Diaz,
law enforcement officers arrested Mr. Bonilla-Mejia in Akron, Ohio, in connection with an
outstanding warrant issued in California. Shortly thereafter, the defendant was transported to
2016, Mr. Aguilar-Rivera explained the clique’s plan to kill Mr. Martinez-Diaz after the victim
finished playing soccer at the Resolute Athletic Complex in Columbus, Ohio. Eight MS-13
members took part in the operation, with Isaias Alvarado (a/k/a Cabo) and Jose Mendez-Peraza
(a/k/a Shadow) firing the hail of bullets that killed Mr. Martinez-Diaz. The coroner’s report
describes gunshot wounds to the victim’s face, chest, abdomen, back, both arms, and both
8
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 9 of 15 PAGEID #: 4015
shoulders. The fatal bullet entered the victim’s chest and struck his left lung, pulmonary artery,
and heart.
The nature of Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s connection to MS-13 and the length of time he spent in
the Southern District of Ohio distinguish him from the other defendants in this case. Unlike his
co-defendants, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia has no obvious ties to Ohio, and he is not a formal member of
the Columbus clique of MS-13. Instead, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia is a member of the Santa Maria Lil
Salvi (SMLS) clique of MS-13, which is based in Santa Maria, California, the city in which he
has spent much of his adult life. The defendant came to Ohio in June 2015 and immediately
associated with the Columbus clique of MS-13. In fact, he participated in the murder of Carlos
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s criminal conduct in California is much more than a footnote to this
case. He is one of 12 defendants charged in People of the State of California v. Orellana, et al.,
Case No. 1501755, Santa Barbara County Superior Court (Santa Maria Division), an indictment
that focuses on the criminal activities of the Santa Maria clique of MS-13. In that prosecution,
the State of California has charged Mr. Bonilla-Mejia with ten counts of first-degree murder and
ten counts of conspiracy to commit murder for conduct that occurred between January 2013 and
February 2016. The California case provides a fuller picture of Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s gang-related
activities in the United States. Both the government and the defense carefully considered the
nature and strength of the evidence supporting the state murder and conspiracy charges in
negotiating a plea agreement in the instant case. The agreement that the parties reached is
9
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 10 of 15 PAGEID #: 4016
intended to be a global resolution of the charges in this case and the Orellana case, respectively.1
2. Personal Background
As is true of every other defendant in this case, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s personal background
is a mitigating factor. The defendant was born and raised in El Salvador. Like his co-
conspirators, his childhood was marred by extreme poverty, malnutrition, lack of formal
educational opportunities, and inadequate access to health care. As a young child, Mr. Bonilla-
Mejia was abused by his alcoholic father. Outside of his home, the defendant was confronted
with the harsh realities of a county besieged by violence and gang activity. At the age of 13, he
joined MS-13.
In 2007, immigration officials arrested and promptly removed Mr. Bonilla-Mejia after he
entered the United States illegally. A year later, he reentered the United States illegally and
settled in Santa Maria, California. After returning to El Salvador in 2011, the defendant came
back to the United States in 2014 and moved to Columbus in 2015. Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s partner
and their three children, one of whom is severely disabled, live in El Salvador. During his time
in the United States, the defendant has worked in agricultural and construction jobs. He has also
regularly used marijuana. The defendant experiences some lingering effects of a gunshot wound
he sustained in 2010. A report submitted by Dr. Antolin Llorente, the defense’s retained
neuropsychologist, indicates that Mr. Bonilla-Mejia suffers from cognitive and intellectual
impairments that were likely caused by various environmental factors in El Salvador. The
Like all criminal prosecutions, this case requires the Court to balance the nature and
1
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the parties anticipate that the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office will
seek to dismiss the charges pending against Mr. Bonilla-Mejia in the Orellana case after the Court enters final
judgment in this case.
10
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 11 of 15 PAGEID #: 4017
circumstances of Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s offense with his history and characteristics to determine an
appropriate sentence. In this matter, weighing the defendant’s conduct – being an active member
of MS-13, having a leadership position in the organization, and committing multiple homicides
on behalf of the enterprise – against his personal background demonstrates that a sentence of life
imprisonment is warranted.
A sentence of life without the possibility of release would serve the statutory purposes of
sentencing. Congress has determined that the mandatory penalty for this type of crime is life
imprisonment (or death). Such a sentence would reflect the nature and seriousness of
Mr. Bonilla’s offense and would be just punishment for his role in the charged racketeering
conspiracy – a role that includes him being legally responsible for three homicides.
Requiring the defendant to spend the rest of his life in federal prison could also be a
powerful deterrent. Dismantling MS-13 is one of the Department of Justice’s highest priorities,
and the resolution of this case should send a message that anyone who commits violent crimes on
behalf of this dangerous organization will be arrested, prosecuted, and held accountable.
Protection of the public from future harm is of paramount importance in this case.
During his roughly eight months in the Southern District of Ohio, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia committed
two gruesome murders and conspired to kill a third victim. The State of California alleges that
the defendant is responsible for ten additional murders in Santa Barbara County. In the absence
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s fierce loyalty to MS-13 and its mission would lead him to continue to
eliminate anyone perceived to be an enemy of the enterprise. Simply stated, anything short of a
11
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 12 of 15 PAGEID #: 4018
Finally, in the unlikely event that the defendant is ever released from prison, a five-year
term of supervised release would allow the Court to monitor his future compliance with the law,
In light of the charges to which Mr. Bonilla-Mejia pled guilty, there can be only one
sentence in this case. For Count One, the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. See 18 U.S.C.
§ 1963(a). But for Counts Two and Three, the mandatory statutory penalty is life imprisonment.
See 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1). Though it is largely academic, the PSR accurately sets forth an
advisory Guidelines range of life imprisonment, which is within Zone D of the Sentencing Table.
Under U.S.S.G. § 5C1.1(f), a term of incarceration is required. The government and the
Probation Officer agree that a sentence of life imprisonment is required in this case.
The United States concurs with the Probation Officer that a five-year term of supervised
release should be imposed. Such a sentence would be consistent with both the statute of
conviction and the Guidelines. See 18 U.S.C. § 3583(b)(1) and U.S.S.G. § 5D1.2(a)(1). The
government concedes that a term of supervised release ordinarily should not be imposed in a
case in which “supervised release is not required by statute and the defendant is a deportable
alien who likely will be deported after imprisonment.” U.S.S.G. § 5D1.1(c). However, the
Guidelines further counsel that a district court should consider imposing a term of supervised
release in such a case “if the court determines it would provide an added measure of deterrence
and protection based on the facts and circumstances of a particular case.” U.S.S.G. § 5D1.1,
App. Note 5; see United States v. Solano-Rosales, 781 F.3d 345, 353-354 (6th Cir. 2015) (“[T]he
against supervised release and provide the court’s reasoning for taking a different course of
12
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 13 of 15 PAGEID #: 4019
action in the case before it.”); United States v. Saucedo, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 1875, at *7 (6th
Cir. Jan. 24, 2018) (requiring district court to “acknowledge § 5D1.1’s recommendation against
supervised release” and “explain why deviating from the recommendation is appropriate in the
defendant’s case”).
criminal enterprise, his eagerness to assist and promote MS-13 by committing homicides, and his
unlawful presence in the United States – indicate that a term of supervised release of five years
would promote the goals of deterrence and protection of the public and would help the Court
monitor the defendant’s compliance with the law. It is telling that all of the criminal activity
with which Mr. Bonilla-Mejia is charged in the Second Superseding Indictment (as well as in the
Orellana indictment) occurred after the defendant illegally reentered the United States following
his removal in 2007. Should Mr. Bonilla-Mejia ever be released from prison and deported, and
then return to this county, every effort should be made to ensure that he is arrested and punished
accordingly.
The Probation Officer recommends that no fine be imposed in light of the defendant’s
financial situation and immigration status. See U.S.S.G. § 5E1.2(e). The United States does not
The Probation Officer identified three policy statements that could support an upward
departure in this case: U.S.S.G. §§ 5K2.1 (death(s) resulted from the offense), 5K2.3 (victim(s)
suffered extreme psychological injury), and 5K2.8 (defendant’s conduct was unusually heinous,
cruel, brutal, or degrading to the victim(s)). The government agrees that, in light of the nature of
the homicides that Mr. Bonilla-Mejia committed, all three policy statements are applicable.
13
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 14 of 15 PAGEID #: 4020
There are no additional policy statements that the government wishes to highlight in this case.
case. See 18 U.S.C. § 1959(a)(1). The imposition of anything less than a term of life would
result in unwarranted sentencing disparities with other defendants who are convicted of murder
in aid of racketeering. A life sentence would also be consistent with the advisory Guidelines
range and appropriate given the facts and circumstances of this offense.
Of the co-defendants who have been sentenced thus far in this case, Mr. Bonilla-Mejia is
most similarly situated to Mr. Aguilar-Rivera. The latter, the unquestioned leader of MS-13 in
Columbus, admitted to his role in five homicides and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Mr. Bonilla-Mejia is a violent, committed MS-13 member who held a leadership position in the
organization and participated in three homicides during his relatively short time in this district.
The defendant’s egregious conduct in this case, coupled with the murder charges in California
that will be dismissed as part of this global resolution, place him on par with Mr. Aguilar-Rivera
See 18 U.S.C. § 3663A. As detailed in the PSR, the Court should order the defendant to pay
The United States has consulted with some of the relatives of Mr. Bonilla-Mejia’s
2
Two other defendants who pled guilty to murder have been sentenced in this case. Jose Manuel Romero-Parada
(a/k/a Russo), a young but criminally prolific MS-13 member, admitted to his role in three gruesome homicides and
was sentenced to 480 months of imprisonment. Juan Jose Jimenez-Montufar (a/k/a Chele Trece), a long-serving
member of MS-13 who committed multiple homicides in this district, including the execution of an informant, was
sentenced to 420 months of imprisonment.
14
Case: 2:17-cr-00164-EAS Doc #: 995 Filed: 02/18/20 Page: 15 of 15 PAGEID #: 4021
victims. At the time of sentencing, representatives of one or more of the families may wish to
address the Court and further discuss the impact of the defendant’s crimes. If so, the government
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the United States submits that the mandatory sentence of life
imprisonment, along with five years of supervised release and the payment of $1,653.03, is
sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to satisfy the goals of sentencing. Accordingly, the
United States respectfully requests that the Court adopt the recommendation set forth in this
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID M. DEVILLERS
United States Attorney
s/ Brian J. Martinez
BRIAN J. MARTINEZ (CA 224587)
NOAH R. LITTON (0090479)
Assistant United States Attorneys
303 Marconi Boulevard, Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Office: (614) 469-5715
E-mail: Brian.Martinez2@usdoj.gov
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a copy of the foregoing Sentencing Memorandum was served this
18th day of February 2020, electronically upon all counsel of record in this case.
s/ Brian J. Martinez
BRIAN J. MARTINEZ (CA 224587)
Assistant United States Attorney
3
The government intends to submit two victim impact letters in advance of the sentencing hearing.
15