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MS-13 Leader Extradited to U.S. After Arrest in Mexico

Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, faces terrorism and racketeering charges in New York following his capture in Veracruz.

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(Left) President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House as he gives his farewell address Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington. (Right) U.S. President Donald Trump during a bilateral meeting with Taoiseach Micheal Martin ahead of the White House St Patrick's Day reception in Washington D.C., as part of his week long visit to the U.S.
FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a ceremony to raise the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag at the State Department, Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Overview

  • Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, a senior MS-13 leader, was arrested on March 17, 2025, on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway in Veracruz, Mexico, during a joint U.S.-Mexico operation.
  • Roman-Bardales has been extradited to the United States, where he faces charges including narco-terrorism, racketeering, and alien smuggling in the Eastern District of New York.
  • The FBI had offered a $250,000 reward for information leading to his capture, citing his role in directing MS-13 activities across the U.S., Mexico, and El Salvador.
  • Mexican authorities deployed surveillance teams to locate and apprehend Roman-Bardales, who is accused of orchestrating violence, drug distribution, and extortion schemes.
  • The arrest follows the Trump administration's recent designation of MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization, marking a significant step in combating transnational criminal networks.