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03 Apr

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

WASHINGTON - 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.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-arrests-alleged-ms-13-gang-leader-linked-nevada-murders-2025-04-02/