US arrests alleged MS-13 gang leader linked to Nevada murders

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April 2, 2025 5:55 PM EDT

FILE PHOTO: A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference in Washington, January 24, 2023. REUTER

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities arrested an alleged leader in a local MS-13 gang who had been a fugitive for nearly four years after being charged in a conspiracy linked to 11 murders, the Justice Department said on Wednesday.

Joel Vargas-Escobar was arrested in Westbury, New York late on Tuesday and is being transferred to Nevada, where he was initially charged in a 2021 federal indictment. Prosecutors are seeking to put him on trial with three co-defendants, who are all alleged members of the gang, according to court documents.

“This terrorist entered our country illegally and is accused of orchestrating 11 murders — under President Trump’s leadership, we will not rest until this terrorist organization is completely dismantled and its members are behind bars," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.

The Justice Department under the Trump administration has prioritized cases involving drug cartels and criminal gangs linked to illegal immigration.

Vargas-Escobar, identified as a leader of the "Parkview" clique of MS-13 that operated out of Nevada and California, is facing racketeering, murder and gun charges, according to the indictment. He has not yet entered a plea.

The indictment directly links Vargas-Escobar to two murders in 2017.

(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Bill Berkrot)


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