A Los Angeles jury on Tuesday convicted five members of the transnational criminal organization Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) of carrying out six murders to elevate their status within the gang, according to a Justice Department press release.

The victims were killed in a variety of brutal ways — including being strangled, shot, stabbed with knives or a machete, and beaten with a baseball bat — before some of their bodies were dumped off a cliff or down a hillside in the Angeles National Forest, the release said.

After a nine-week trial, the jury also found Walter Chavez Larin, 26, Roberto Alejandro Corado Ortiz, 30, and Edwin Martinez, 28 were guilty of conspiracy in violation of the RICO Act.

Chavez and Corado were each convicted of two counts of violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder. Martinez was found guilty on three counts of VICAR murder. Bryan Alexander Rosales Arias, 28, of South Los Angeles, was convicted of one count of VICAR murder, as was his brother, Erick Eduardo Rosales Arias, 27, also of South Los Angeles, the DOJ said.

The convictions come amid a crackdown on gang-related criminal activity under the Kash Patel and Dan Bongino-led FBI.

“We thank the jury for returning swift guilty verdicts against these MS-13 criminals who engaged in horrific acts of violence and murder,” said Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “I thank and commend our law enforcement partners for their work in removing members of this terrorist organization from our streets.

“MS-13 is a violent brutal gang that must be eliminated from the United States, and we will not stop until we succeed in our mission,” he added.

“The horrific violence in this case underscores the urgency of destroying MS-13 and putting its depraved members behind bars,” noted United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under President Trump, MS-13 can no longer unleash terror on the American people with impunity: We will eradicate this foreign terrorist organization and secure justice for its victims.”

According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants killed victims who were either members of, or believed to be affiliated with, the rival 18th Street gang, as well as individuals who had violated MS-13’s internal rules, the DOJ said.

Prosecutors said the case centered on MS-13 cliques in Los Angeles that enforced a hierarchy based on violence, requiring members to commit murder and acts of extreme brutality to advance within the organization.

“Cases such as this one serve as a reminder that MS-13 has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The defendants in this case carried out barbaric attacks on their victims to simply enhance their ranking within the gang. I’m proud of the hard work that went into this trial by agents and prosecutors which resulted in a guilty verdict and a measure of justice for the victims, and which will effectively remove murderers and terrorists from Los Angeles communities.”

“The brutality of these crimes is a stark reminder of the importance of our shared mission: to protect the people of Los Angeles from those who seek to do harm,” added Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “I thank every investigator, prosecutor, and law enforcement professional who contributed to this case. Their dedication has brought justice to the victims and sent a clear message — we will not tolerate this kind of violence in our city. Together, we are stronger, and together, we will continue to stand against gang violence in all its forms.”

“These convictions send a powerful message that criminal gang violence and intimidation have no place in Los Angeles County,” noted L.A. County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “These violent individuals terrorized our communities and tore families apart to further their criminal network. Through the tireless efforts of our local and federal partners, we have brought justice to the victims’ families and held these individuals accountable for their brutal crimes.”