For the 2022 gang-related murder of Edvin Agustin Leon, the attempted murder of a second victim, and associated firearm and conspiracy charges, Edgard Castro-Contreras was sentenced in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Monday to life in prison plus 52 years.
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office reports that Castro-Contreras was found guilty by a jury on April 4, 2025, of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the death of Edvin Agustin Leon, age 20. In addition, the defendant was found guilty on two charges of using a firearm in the commission of a violent crime, attempted first-degree murder, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder for the shooting of a second victim.
The victims were the focus of a gang-related shooting on November 9, 2022. In Gaithersburg, Edvin Agustin Leon and the other victim were led into a forested section of Northwest Stream Valley Park close to the 9000 block of Piney Branch Road. Agustin Leon was slain by gunfire. Despite being shot several times, the second victim managed to survive the attempt on his life by feigning death. Then he screamed for assistance as he crawled through a quarter-mile stretch of parkland. 911 was phoned by neighbors. Detectives discovered that the shooting and death were connected to the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) criminal group during an investigation conducted by Montgomery County Police with help from the FBI. They discovered that three lower-ranked MS-13 members were given firearms by two higher-ranked members, who then instructed them to shoot and murder the two victims. According to the State, Edvin Agustin Leon was slain by bullets fired by Castro-Contreras.
The jury in the case of co-defendant Sender Emanuel Godoy-Lemus hung on Friday, April 4, 2025. That case will be retried by the State. May 26, 2026 is the date of the trial.
Brayan Bonilla-Andrade, a co-defendant, has entered a guilty plea to charges of first-degree murder, first-degree murder conspiracy, first-degree murder attempt, and using a firearm in the commission of a violent felony. He might receive two life sentences in addition to 20 years. He is still awaiting his sentencing hearing.
Two more co-defendants are involved. Carlo Yaque Del Cid and Jonathan Videz Martinez are awaiting trial on allegations of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and other offenses. The trial for each of them is set to start on February 27, 2026.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant State’s Attorneys Teresa Casafranca and Gabriel Carrera. We appreciate their dedication to pursuing justice, as well as the thorough investigation and support provided by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, the Maryland National Capital Park Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Baltimore Field Office, and the Montgomery County Police Gang Investigation and Homicide Teams.
