MS-13 bedeviled U.S. law enforcement for decades. Then, as the bodies piled up, an inside man helped the feds infi ltrate the world’s most brutal gang
THE FIRST BLOW CAME WITHOUT warning. Pelon felt a metal ring crush his right cheekbone. He crumbled to the concrete floor of the garage as a man began a slow count. Uno! A kick to the head. Dos! A punch to the nose. Tres! A knee to the groin. Pelon lost track as a half-dozen men pounded away. It was a cool night in November 2013, and Pelon thought it might be his last.
When the count reached 13, it was over. The group pulled back and cheered, “Welcome to the Mara!”
The assault was an initiation. After months of running with his assailants in and around Boston, Pelon was now an official member of what many consider to be the most dangerous gang in America: La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. Like many new recruits, he was a Salvadoran immigrant who had fled his violent homeland for a better life in the United States.
But he was hardly a natural fit for the gang. At 36, he was more than twice the age of the average MS-13 homeboys, teenagers typically groomed—or intimidated—to join at local high schools. He also lacked the signature tattoos and unofficial MS-13 uniform: blue T-shirt, L.A. Dodgers baseball cap and Nike Cortez sneakers. He preferred collared golf shirts and linen shorts. Getting “jumped in” was never part of his plan. He was a drug dealer who had been paying the gang for protection as he moved cocaine and guns up and down the East Coast. For cover, Pelon drove a gypsy cab around Chelsea, Massachusetts, a city of 35,000 across the Mystic River from Boston. He quickly became the preferred driver of gang leaders. As MS-13 systematically killed its rivals in the 18th Street gang, he had driven members to bury bloody machetes—their weapon of choice—and reveled in their war stories. Now that he was a full-fledged homeboy, they expected more of the man they called “the doggie with the car.”
この記事は Newsweek の June 22,2018 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Newsweek の June 22,2018 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
An Ecstatic Anniversary
Sarah McLachlan is touring this summer, 30 years after the release of ‘Fumbling Towards Ecstasy,' the album that made her a star
'WE ARE FACING THE MOST COMPLEX SECURITY ENVIRONMENT SINCE - WORLD WAR II'
Japan's prime minister on security, diplomacy and protecting the rule of law at home, in Asia and around the world
JAPAN'S CALL TO ARMS
As the 'peace-loving nation' doubles its defense spending, Prime Minister FUMIO KISHIDA explains why it needs to take an assertive stance to counter China and North Korea
Red Cows, Gaza and the End of the World
As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, the Third Temple movement is ramping up its bid to reclaim a contested holy site in Jerusalem currently home to ancient Islamic shrines
The States Keeping Their Children Hungry
The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer could help feed millions of children in households experiencing food insecurity, yet 13 states have declined to participate in the program
The Secret to Being an ADHD Whisperer
Loosening up and ceding control are some of the most important strategies for making life easier for a neurodiverse loved one
Fertility Clinics 2024
FOR THOSE LOOKING TO EXPAN D THEIR FAMILIES, FERTILITY CLINICS CAN BE A VITAL OPTION
'I AM ALWAYS IN THE MOMENT'
India's prime minister on his goals, his critics and his 'god-gifted' ability to listen
MODI'S MOMENT
INDIA'S LEADER is SHAPING the COUNTRY in his OWN ASSERTIVE IMAGE
Resurgence of Global Mayhem
While the world watches Gaza, ISIS is gaining strength and momentum, building networks and preparing for strikes worldwide