MS-13 gang leader in Fresno County faces lengthy prison term after pleading guilty
An MS-13 gang leader pleaded guilty Friday to assaulting a victim with a pipe outside a Mendota school, according to federal prosecutors.
Denis Barrera-Palma, 25, of Mendota, pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced in a statement.
Authorities described Barrera-Palma as the leader of the violent gang known for murder, kidnapping, extortion and drug trafficking.
He was one of 25 people arrested in Mendota in August 2018 for what law enforcement said was a network of crime. The alleged gang members netted in the operation are believed to be connected to more than a dozen murders, and they face federal and state charges.
Barrera-Palma and others assaulted another person with a pipe on May 14, 2018. Some of the men who took part in the beating looked to get into the gang, while others wanted to improve their status within MS-13, according to authorities.
Four others have already pleaded guilty to taking part in the attack in western Fresno County, prosecutors said.
Barrera-Palma’s is set to be sentenced on July 10. He faces up to 40 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine, according to prosecutors.
Locals in Mendota last year identified one victim of homicide to The Bee as Abel Rodriguez, matching the name on the state indictment.
Court records show several defendants arrested in the 2018 sweep have been charged with various crimes in connection with Rodriguez’s death.
