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High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arrested in New York After Four Years as Fugitive

Joel Vargas-Escobar, accused of orchestrating 11 murders, faces racketeering and firearms charges with a mandatory life sentence if convicted.

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. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque//File Photo
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Overview

  • Joel Vargas-Escobar, an alleged leader of the MS-13 'Parkview' clique, was apprehended in Westbury, New York, on April 1, 2025.
  • He faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder-in-aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses in Nevada.
  • The indictment links Vargas-Escobar to 11 murders, including two he allegedly ordered, with victims tortured and killed in remote locations.
  • Previously deported to El Salvador in 2018, Vargas-Escobar illegally re-entered the U.S. and had been a fugitive for nearly four years.
  • The arrest was coordinated by the FBI and Joint Task Force Vulcan, highlighting ongoing efforts to dismantle MS-13's transnational operations.