TENNESSEE
A federal jury convicted an El Salvador MS-13 gang member of brutally assaulting a federal witness with pliers, bleach and a plastic bag, according to officials.
The jury found Gerson Serrano-Ramirez, aka “Frijole,” 31, guilty of using physical force to tamper with a witness; being in the U.S. illegally and in possession of a firearm; illegally re-entering the U.S. after previously being deported; multiple counts of cocaine distribution; and multiple counts of other firearms violations, federal officials announced.
Gerson Serrano-Ramirez, aka “Frijole,” 31, was indicted in August 2017 and convicted today after a three-day jury trial in U.S. District Court in Nashville, Tennessee.
“MS-13 is one of the most violent and dangerous gangs in America, and the conduct that occurred, in this case, is further evidence of the gang’s ruthlessness,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski.
According to the evidence, in July 2017, the activities of Serrano-Ramirez and other MS-13 gang members were disrupting the normal operation and business of a local nightclub. This was brought to the attention of Serrano-Ramirez by an acquaintance, with a request to tone down their disruptive behavior, officials said.
Serrano-Ramirez later invited the individual to his home in the Antioch, Tennessee area, where he subsequently assaulted him by pointing an assault rifle at him; strangling him with the rifle strap; spraying bleach into his eyes and then attempted to suffocate him by placing a plastic bag over his head, the evidence showed.
Finally, while clamping the individual’s finger with a pair of pliers and holding an assault rifle on him, Serrano-Ramirez told the individual that if he told anyone about the assault that he would kill him and his mother.
Evidence introduced during the trial also included video of the assault which was captured on an in-home security system at Serrano-Ramirez’ house and videos of him packaging and selling cocaine from the residence.
This video was discovered and seized during the subsequent execution of a search warrant.
Also seized during this search were an AK-47 assault rifle, multiple rifle magazines, 582 rounds of ammunition, body armor and a small amount of cocaine and marijuana, according to officials.