Norteno Gang Member Resentenced to 33 Years in Federal Prison for Soliciting Murder for Hire and Drug Crimes

Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Gerardo Maderos Loreto, age 34, of Yakima, Washington, was resentenced following conviction after a three-day jury trial in May 2017, for one count of use of the mail to commit murder for hire, one count of use of a telephone to commit murder for hire, one count of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and one count of attempt to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.  United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr. resentenced Loreto to a 33-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by 3-years of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.

According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Loreto, a Norteno gang member, was serving a state prison sentence for violating a protective order prohibiting contact with his ex-girlfriend.  In spite of the protective order and while incarcerated, Loreto mailed a letter attempting to hire another individual to murder his ex-girlfriend in exchange for a pound quantity of methamphetamine.

Loreto’s August 2017, thirty-year sentence was vacated on appeal.  While awaiting resentencing, Loreto then unsuccessfully attempted to escape from jail.   

United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Loreto callously put a price on another human’s life when he solicited another individual to kill his ex-girlfriend.  Thanks to the excellent work of our law enforcement partners, Loreto is now serving a lengthy prison sentence.” This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program.  PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Yakima Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Washington Department of Corrections, Yakima County Department of Corrections, and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. The case was prosecuted by Benjamin D. Seal, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.