Illinois —An East Chicago gang member was sentenced to 25 years in prison for federal racketeering in connection with a murder , officials said.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Philip P. Simon sentenced the 35-year-old Salvador Chavez a/k/a “Black,” “Dirty Sal.”
After a contested evidentiary hearing, the court found that the government had proven by a preponderance of the evidence that Chavez was responsible for the murder of Guadalupe Trevino. Vincent Garza and Jason Medina had previously pled guilty for their roles in that homicide, officials said.
Officials said Chavez was part of a 24-defendant indictment alleging that members of the Imperial Gangsters committed 14 previously-uncharged homicides: 12 in East Chicago, Indiana, one in Hammond, Indiana, and one in Gary, Indiana.
The indictment also charged a decade-long racketeering conspiracy that involved the attempted murder of 19 other victims and the large scale distribution of cocaine and marijuana.
Chavez pleaded guilty on January 13, 2014, to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, officials said.
Chavez is one of 22 defendants charged in the indictment to plead guilty.
One defendant, Richard Reyes, was convicted by a jury of murder, conspiracy to commit racketeering activity, and weapons offenses on Jan. 24, 2014, according to authorities.
The remaining defendant’s trial is scheduled for Jan. 12.
He has pleaded not guilty.