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.

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.