A federal jury has convicted a Mendota man of racketeering conspiracy and attempted murder for his role in the MS-13 criminal street gang following an 11-day trial, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Oscar Armando Orellana Guevara, 28, was found guilty of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise and attempted murder for his involvement in MS-13, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

Prosecutors said members of MS-13 terrorized Mendota for nearly a decade through violence, extortion, drug trafficking and enforcement of gang rules. A federal grand jury charged multiple members, including Orellana, with participating in a racketeering enterprise intended to protect the gang’s territory, enhance its reputation, discipline members and raise money.

Group Attacks JBH

According to court documents and trial testimony, Orellana and other MS-13 members encountered a man identified as JBH near a river outside Mendota on Aug. 28, 2020, after hearing music coming from another location. Prosecutors said the group targeted JBH because he was related to a government informant cooperating with law enforcement against MS-13.

Unable to retaliate against the informant, who was in prison, the group attacked JBH instead, prosecutors said. Orellana allegedly yelled, “I’m from the Mara and today is your last day to live,” before chasing JBH across a river into an orchard, forcing him to his knees and stabbing him 10 times.

JBH survived and was treated at a hospital for multiple stab wounds, including injuries that nearly punctured a lung and wounds that penetrated his abdominal cavity and damaged his intestines.

Years of MS-13 Participation

Evidence presented during the trial also showed Orellana participated in the MS-13 enterprise for years by selling drugs, extorting people, patrolling for rival gang members and taking part in plans to murder others, prosecutors said.

Jurors also heard evidence that Orellana participated in the Aug. 12, 2018, stabbing of a rival Bulldog gang member. According to prosecutors, Orellana and others spotted the victim near a convenience store, chased him and stabbed him before fleeing.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Mendota Police Department, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office and the Madera County Sheriff’s Office.

Orellana is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 5 before Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Another defendant, Martin Leiva-Leiva, is scheduled to stand trial June 7, 2027, on charges of racketeering conspiracy and six counts of capital murder.

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