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.

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.

The Daily Caller

New York Post

U.S. Department of Justice