A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against a Mendota man who identified himself as a member of the MS-13 gang during a violent attack on another man.
Oscar Armando Orellana Guevara, 23, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott said in a news release.
According to court documents, Guevara and others assaulted the victim in August of last year, punching, kicking and stabbing him with a knife. Authorities say they stabbed him in his chest, thigh, abdomen, and arm.
During the confrontation, Guevara reportedly announced the group’s affiliation with MS-13 and threatened to kill the man and a companion. The assault occurred in the Mendota area, where MS-13 members claims control, the release said.
If convicted of the assault with a dangerous weapon, Guevara faces 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The maximum penalty for the conspiracy charge is three years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the Justice Department.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mendota Police Department, the release said.
