AG Bondi Announces Arrests Of Alleged MS-13 Gang Members For Decade-Old Slaying
Pam Bondi, who served as Attorney General under President Donald Trump, revealed the arrest of three individuals tied to the infamous MS-13 gang, adding that more suspects are expected to be taken into custody soon.
The trio now faces charges connected to the 2015 killing of 22-year-old Gerson Vilelio Vasquez-Portillo, a member of a rival gang who was fatally attacked in Palm Beach, Florida, nearly a decade ago, according to authorities cited by the New York Post.
“More arrests are coming,” Bondi declared while flanked by law enforcement officers during a press briefing in Fort Lauderdale. “If you are a gang member living in this country, I’d self-deport right now because we’re coming after you.”
According to The Post, the suspects—Jose “Chango” Ezequiel Gamez-Maravilla, Wilber “Blue” Rosendo Navarro-Escobar, and Hugo “Power” Adiel Bermudez-Martinez—were charged in connection to the brutal stabbing and shooting of Vasquez-Portillo in 2015.
Authorities also linked the gang to three other violent murders in South Florida, all involving knives or machetes. These cases, initially unsolved, were reopened in 2020, officials said.
Three more individuals—Wilson Tirado-Silva, Miguel Cabrera Granados, and Melvin David Cruz-Ortiz—were indicted for the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Joel Antonio Canizales-Lara, allegedly because he falsely claimed gang affiliation.
Another victim, 18-year-old Omar DeJesus Gutierrez, was gunned down after flashing a rival gang sign in 2015. Prosecutors allege that MS-13 leader Tirado-Silva ordered the hit. He and Cruz-Ortiz were also charged with the killing of 25-year-old Chrislet Ondina, reportedly as part of a gang initiation.
“Nine MS-13 terrorists have been taken off our streets and four cold murder cases have been solved thanks to the great investigative work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” Bondi stated.
“Let this be a lesson: no matter how long it takes, we will never give up in our pursuit of justice,” she added.
Separately, the Department of Justice announced the apprehension of “a high-ranking leader of La Mara Salvatrucha,” the formal name of MS-13, in New York. The individual was allegedly involved in a conspiracy that resulted in 11 homicides.
The suspect, Joel Vargas-Escobar, known as “Momia,” was indicted in the District of Nevada for racketeering conspiracy involving 11 murders. He also faces two murder charges “in aid of racketeering,” along with firearms-related offenses. After being deported to El Salvador, Vargas-Escobar re-entered the U.S. illegally and had evaded authorities for nearly four years.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi remarked, “The American people are safer following the arrest of yet another MS-13 leader thanks to the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Joint Task Force Vulcan. 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.”
FBI Director Kash Patel echoed the sentiment: “The arrest of yet another violent and dangerous MS-13 leader is a major win for our FBI agents, law enforcement partners, and safer American streets. Our agents and analysts are continuously coordinating across multiple field offices and investigating with our valued partners to keep this work going — and we will not stop until that work is done.”
Court records describe MS-13 as “a national and transnational gang composed largely of individuals of Salvadoran or other Central American descent,” with more than 10,000 members operating in over 10 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and thousands more active in Central America and Mexico.
The gang sustains itself through “intimidation and violence, including murder,” and funds operations by “breaking into houses and stealing firearms, jewelry, cash, and other items of value, and selling narcotics.” It is organized into “cliques,” each led by individuals known as “shot callers,” the DOJ explained.