MS-13 Gangs: A Short Story

For the past thirty years, the MS-13 gang has been a destructive criminal force, damaging communities and harmfully coercing the youth. At a mere twelve years old, Alonso Serrano-Serra was first recruited by the MS-13 gang in El Salvador. R. at 6. He repeatedly refused their advances, telling them he did not wish to join their gang or associate with them in anyway. Id. No matter where he was, at school, at the park, in the neighborhood, gang members would approach him and his childhood friends and tell them it was their time to join. Id. The members told them it was time for the boys to become “men,” but Alonso did not join. Id.
When he turned thirteen, Alonso began to be aggressively recruited particularly by one gang member, Chunky. R. at

Id. Alonso did not want to get in the car, so he told them he could not leave his house at that moment. Id. They told him they would be going to pick up a “friend.” Id. Uncertain of what the two gang members’ motives were, Alonso again refused to drive because he feared there was a chance they might be intending to hurt whoever they were going to pick up. Id. Upon hearing this, one of the gang members brandished a knife and threatened to hurt Alonso if he didn’t follow their commands. R. at 9. At this, Alonso got in the driver’s seat and drove where they instructed him.

Id. Eventually, Chunky and two other gang members approached Alonso and told him he was needed again as the contact at the school. Id. They threatened Alonso to return to school and not dare even think about talking to anyone about Professor Roqueno. R. at 11. After this, Alonso fled and lived with his uncle in another part of San Salvador where he remained in the house at nearly all times to avoid detection by any local gang members in that area. Id. There a government official attempted to recruit Alonso to serve as a witness against the gang in their prosecution. Id. This only caused Alonso to grow more anxious because he knew the gang would certainly kill him for speaking with any government official. Id. Despite his best efforts, the first time he left the house, he was found and attacked by four gang members with a gun and beaten severally with fists and sticks which resulted in him losing the vision in his right eye.