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4w ago

MS-13 Leader Joel Vargas-Escobar Arrested in New York After Four Years as Fugitive

Vargas-Escobar, linked to 11 murders in Nevada and California, faces life imprisonment if convicted as part of a federal crackdown on MS-13 leadership.

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, leader of MS-13's 'Parkview' clique, was arrested in New York on April 1, 2025, after evading authorities for nearly four years.
  • He has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder-in-aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses related to 11 murders in Nevada and California.
  • The murders, committed over a year, involved victims being tortured and killed in remote desert and mountain locations, with Vargas-Escobar personally ordering two of them.
  • The operation to capture Vargas-Escobar was coordinated by the FBI, Joint Task Force Vulcan, and other federal agencies, reflecting intensified efforts to dismantle MS-13 under the Trump administration.
  • If convicted, Vargas-Escobar faces a mandatory life sentence and will be transferred to Nevada for trial.