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Life sentence for gang member who turned northern Virginia into ‘hunting ground’

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Published 12:40 PM

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A leader in the MS-13 street gang whose orders set off a wave of killings five years ago in northern Virginia has been sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors said at a federal sentencing hearing Tuesday that the deaths in 2019 in Prince William County stood out even amid the brutal backdrop of previous MS-13 slayings. They say the victims had no gang affiliation and were slain by members who simply wanted to increase their clout within the organization. Prosecutors said Melvin Canales Saldana set off the wave of killings with orders demanding that underlings increase their kill count. Canales’ lawyer says she will appeal her client’s conviction.

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