This presentation will discuss issues involving "Mara Salvatrucha" (commonly known as MS-13), an infamous international criminal gang. The course will cover the gang's inception, how it started in the United States, and the different cities/states the gang has settled in. The course will also cover the current tactics law enforcement is using to combat the gang and how it has become transnational. Current information from El Salvador, coming through agents currently living in Central America, will be discussed. East Coast vs. West Coast issues will be covered, as well as debriefs of murders that are occurring in areas such as Malibu, CA, and New York City. The highlight of the presentation will be identifying MS-13 gang members, primarily the new MS-13 kids crossing into the United Sates labeled "unaccompanied minors."

Detective Richard "Richie" Sanchez has been a peace officer for 29 years. He served 11 years with the Compton Police Department and 18 years with the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department. He has served as a hostage/crisis negotiator since 1995 a total of 23 years. Detective Sanchez is considered to be one of few bilingual negotiators and gang expert assigned to the Los Angeles county Sheriff Department Crisis Negotiation Team.

Sanchez maintains his collateral duty as a crisis negotiator. His current assignment is that of a Gang Investigator assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Operation Safe Streets Bureau and a Federal Task Force Officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigations targeting the "MS-13" Hispanic Gang. As a Gang Investigator, he is responsible for investigating all gang related crimes within the Los Angeles County. Throughout his law enforcement carrier Sanchez held the position of Field Training Officer, Narcotics Officer, Helicopter Observer, SWAT Officer (Compton PD), and Task Force Officer.

Sanchez is also a 25-year Veteran with the United States Army. He served six years active duty assigned to a special operations unit out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also served 19 years in the Army National Guard. From 2004-2005, he was deployed to Iraq where he sustained a significant injury. For his bravery at the time of the incident, Sanchez was awarded a Bronze Star, Second Combat Infantry Badge, Matrious Presidential Unit Citation, and a Purple Heart. He retired from the military with the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Sanchez is a graduate of the FBI"s National Crisis Negotiation Course; he is also a member of the California Association of Hostage Negotiators (CAHN), California Gang Investigators Association (CGIA). He has been a guest speaker at CGIA, CAHN, and teaches gang sub culture classes at the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department and other departments throughout the states.