Ex-Member Of MS-13 Wore a Wire For Agents

Testimony Could Prove Global Ties

A former member of the violent street gang MS-13 revealed in federal court yesterday that he risked his life for nearly two years by working undercover for federal agents and police investigating the group.

Noe "Shorty" Cruz, 25, testified in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt that he wore a wire two or three times to gang meetings. During one of those meetings, gang members played a videotape showing two Prince George's County police officers and a federal agent and spoke of killing an officer, Cruz testified.

Cruz also said that he tipped off investigators about which gang members' homes should be raided, that MS-13 members robbed prostitution houses and that gang leaders sent money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador.

He testified that he turned against the gang because MS-13 members murdered another member who was his friend. To maintain his cover and avoid being beaten, he said, he took part in a fight against rival gang members at a Hispanic festival in the District.

The testimony provided a detailed look at what prosecutors say are the gang's violent ways. Cruz, who began testifying Wednesday and could complete his testimony today, is one of the government's star witnesses in its efforts to prove MS-13 is an internationally-connected criminal enterprise, rather than a neighborhood street gang.

Cruz was accompanied to and from the witness stand by federal marshals.

During the past year, federal prosecutors indicted 22 alleged members of MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, on federal racketeering charges. The indictment accuses the gang of six homicides and four attempted murders between April 2003 and June 2005. Eight attacks were in Prince George's and two in Montgomery.

Cruz is testifying against the first two defendants to go on trial: Oscar Ramos "Casper" Velasquez, 21, of Baltimore and Edgar Alberto "Pony" Ayala, 29, of Suitland. Both defendants are charged with racketeering; neither is accused of homicide.

Cruz identified Ayala as a leader of an MS-13 clique.

Some of Cruz's most compelling testimony concerned a meeting on April 17, 2004, when Cruz viewed the videotape of the three law enforcement officers.

Federal prosecutors played parts of the audiotape from the meeting, which was conducted in Spanish. Jurors and defense attorneys were provided with transcripts translated into English.

Under direct examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Wilkinson, Cruz explained what happened at the meeting, which was attended by more than a half-dozen MS-13 members, he said. The meeting took place in the apartment of Israel Ramos "Taylor" Cruz, whom Cruz (no relation) identified as an MS-13 leader.