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

3/4/2025 6:09

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.