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Federal prosecutors charged 19 men with racketeering and conspiracy for alleged gang activity in Prince George's and Montgomery counties since 2007, prosecutors announced Nov. 19.

According to the indictment issued Nov. 18, the men are all members of the Royal Lion Tribe of Maryland, a subgroup of the Almighty Latin Kings national gang, and were allegedly involved in beatings, attempted murders and armed robberies. Many of the crimes were based at the Marylander Condominiums complex in Langley Park, prosecutors said.

"The Latin Kings have been dethroned," said Kenneth Melson, a deputy director with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which investigated the case with local police and federal investigators.

The alleged crimes committed by the men, who range in age from 19 to 44 years old, include conspiracy to commit murder, robbery and arson. Members allegedly tried to kill a female gang member suspected of talking to police, contracted in 2008 to kill a security guard at the Marylander Condos complex and have robbed several drug dealers, a prostitute and a gun store during the three-year period outlined in the indictment.

Prosecutors gave few details in court papers, but said the case started as Montgomery County police began investigating a firebombing at a Rockville home Jan. 8, 2008. That investigation later was linked back to the Royal Lion Tribe as part of an alleged pattern of criminal conspiracy.

All the men charged could face life in prison if convicted. Racketeering and conspiracy crimes allow all members to be held responsible for the activities of an organized criminal group.

Prosecutors say the local branch of the Latin Kings was started by two men, Erick Roman, 33, and Miguel Cruz, 44, who traveled to Chicago, Philadelphia and Staten Island, N.Y., to meet with national Latin Kings leaders between 2007 and 2009.

Other alleged gang leaders indicted include Matthew Aguilar, 24; Miguel Castillo, 22; Joseph Deleon, 28; Andres Echevarria, 22; Jorge Kilgore, 20; Erick Martinez, 19; Melvin Carlos Nolasco, 22; Senni Nolasco-Rodriguez, 20; Francisco Ortiz, 25; Roddy E. Paredes Jr., 27; Leuri Read, 21; Alejandro Ivan Rodriguez, 32; Nelson Santos, 26; Chinua Shepperdson, 27; Brandon Smith, 25, and Hugo Soto-Moran, 22.

Prosecutors were unable to provide information on where the men were living at the time of their arrests. Eight of the men were arrested in early-morning police raids Nov. 19, while 10 of the men were already in jail facing other charges, said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein.

One other man, Remy Heath, 25, who also allegedly went by the street name "King Mello," is wanted by police.

Rosenstein said the men made up the leadership of the local branch of the Latin Kings, but was unable to say how large the group actually is.

"As far as the precise number, I don't have that," he said.

The case is the latest Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, or RICO, prosecution targeting gang activity in the region. For the last two years, officials have been convicting alleged members of the MS-13 gang for murder and other crimes in Prince George's and Montgomery counties dating back to 2002.

The crimes listed in the indictment include the alleged July 7 stabbing of a member at Wheaton Regional Park, and a nightclub shooting in Queens, N.Y., where Brandon Smith allegedly shot at several MS-13 members the night of Jan. 17.

MS-13 was listed as a frequent rival of the Kings in court papers. In fall 2007, Royal Lion Tribe members allegedly hunted for MS-13 members with guns and were allegedly responsible for kicking, beating and stabbing a suspected MS-13 member at the Marylander Condos in December 2007.

Prince George's County police said the condominium complex off Riggs Road is known for gang activity.

"It's one of the places we have to keep an eye on," said Lt. Col. Kevin Davis, deputy police chief for Prince George's County.

Prosecutors and police declined to give details on how they put together the case against the gang, but praised one another's efforts and cooperation at the news conference.

Prosecutors are also considering additional charges in relation to the gang, Rosenstein said.