Posted on April 5, 2007

Gang Intelligence Investigates 8 Teens

Catherine McKinney, Leesburg (Virginia) Today, April 2, 2007

Following a series of possible gang-related assaults in the county, eight Park View students were questioned for potential information, said Loudoun County sheriff’s spokesman Kraig Troxell. The Park View students were not charged or officially linked with the assaults, but their lockers were searched. The series of assaults in the county involve suspected members of the 18th Street gang and its rival, MS-13.

Additionally, Gabriele Castillo, 18, another suspect in Loudoun’s gang-related activity, was apprehended Thursday night and is currently being held on a deportation order by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE). Castillo is charged locally with street gang participation and felony gang recruitment, Troxell said.

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Jhonny Lopez, 19, and Eliseo Antonio Morales, 18, both of Sterling, were charged with aggravated malicious wounding and simple assault for their involvement in all three assaults. The third suspect, Osmand Wilfredo Larios-Torres, 19, of Leesburg, was charged with simple assault for the school bus stop incident. According to Troxell, an investigation revealed that the assaults were in an apparent retaliation for the incident at McDonalds.

Troxell said the suspects were identified by those they assaulted. “They weren’t random acts [of violence],” he said. “The victims and suspects knew each other.”

Lopez, Morales and Larios-Torres may be tied to MS-13, Troxell said. “They’re not charged with gang participation, but some of the individuals may be involved with MS-13. At this point, we’re investigating further along in terms of gang involvement of other teenagers at Park View High School.”

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