40-year sentence for gang member who lured teen to murder with sex

ROCKVILLE, Md. — A 20-year-old gang member has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after luring a man with the promise of sex to a remote park, setting him up to be stabbed more than 150 times in a gang murder.

Vanesa Alvarado received a life sentence with all but 40 years suspended as part of a plea arrangement with Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Cristian Antonio Villagran-Morales, 18, who emigrated from Guatemala, lived in Gaithersburg. While he was attempting to buy marijuana from three gang members of MS-13 last June, they asked Villagran-Morales whether he was a gang member.

Although he wasn’t, prosecutors say he flashed hand signs associated with MS-13’s rival gang, 18th Street. Later, a gang leader demanded the murder of Villagran-Morales.

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