A four-count indictment unsealed in federal court charged 13 of the highest-ranking MS-13 leaders in the world with allegedly directing the transnational criminal organization’s criminal activities in the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, and elsewhere over the past two decades.
Four of the defendants are indicted for Alien Smuggling Conspiracy.
On Feb. 22, Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, also known as Vampiro de Monserrat Criminales (Arevalo-Chavez), Walter Yovani Hernandez-Rivera, also known as Baxter de Park View and Bastard de Park View (Hernandez-Rivera), and Marlon Antonio Menjivar-Portillo, also known as Rojo de Park View (Menjivar-Portillo), were located by Mexican authorities, officials stated.
They were expelled from Mexico via the United States.
When Arevalo-Chavez, Hernandez-Rivera, and Menjivar-Portillo arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, they were placed under arrest by the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Four co-defendants, Jose Wilfredo Ayala-Alcantara, Indio de Hollywood, Jorge Alexander De La Cruz, Cruger de Peatonales, Juan Antonio Martinez-Abrego, also known as Mary Jane de Hollywood, and Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, also known as Veterano de Tribus, remain at large, according to officials.
“Today’s action makes clear that there is no hiding place, anywhere in the world, for the leaders of violent gangs that terrorize American communities,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland.
“The FBI will continue to vigorously investigate and hold transnational organized groups like MS-13 and their leaders accountable for the continued violent and terrorist criminal activities they orchestrate,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Six other co-defendants, Edwin Ernesto Cedillos-Rodriguez, also known as Renuente de Abriles Dangers, Carlos Tiberio Ramirez-Valladares, also known as Snayder de Pasadena, Dany Fredy Ramos-Mejia, also known as Cisco de Teclas, Dany Balmore Romero-Garcia, also known as Big Boy de Normandies, Dig Boy de Normandies, and D Boy de Normandies, Ruben Antonio Rosa-Lovo, also known as Chivo de Centrales, and Miguel Angel Serrano-Medina, also known as Cabro de Park View, are believed to be in custody in El Salvador, according to authorities.
The United States will explore options for their extradition with the government of El Salvador.
As set forth in court filings, the 13 defendants are part of MS-13’s command and control structure, consisting of the Ranfla Nacional, Ranfla en Las Calles, and Ranfla en Los Penales, and play significant leadership roles in the organization’s operations in El Salvador, Mexico, the United States, and throughout the world.
In the related case of United States v. Henriquez, et al., a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York previously indicted 14 members of the Ranfla Nacional, who functioned as MS-13’s “Board of Directors.”
As further alleged, the defendants have engaged in a litany of violent terrorist activities aimed at influencing the government of El Salvador policy and to obtain benefits and concessions from El Salvado; targeting El Salvado law enforcement and military officials; employing terrorist tactics such as the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (“IEDs”) and grenades.
Also, allegedly operating military-style training camps for firearms and explosives; using public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations; using violence to obtain and control territory; and manipulating the electoral process in El Salvador.
Several of these defendants have played prominent roles in MS-13’s past and current negotiations with the government of El Salvador, officials stated.
Further, these defendants authorized and directed violence in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere to expand MS-13’s influence and territorial control.
The MS-13 cliques in the United States engaged in extreme violence, including countless murders, attempted murders, assaults, and related offenses.
For example, this Office’s Long Island Criminal Division has prosecuted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates for carrying out with more than 65 murders in New York between 2009 and the present.
Several of these Defendants, including Arevalo-Chavez, Hernandez-Rivera, and Menjivar-Portillo, coordinated MS-13’s expansion into Mexico (the Mexico Program), at the direction of the Ranfla Nacional, which was a coordinated effort to maintain MS-13’s continuity of operations in response to law enforcement pressure previously exerted by the United States and the government of El Salvador.
Additionally, the Mexico Program included forging alliances with Mexican cartels and engaged in narcotics trafficking, immigrant smuggling and extortion, kidnappings, and weapons trafficking.
As alleged in the indictment, the MS-13’s Mexico Program murdered some migrants bound for the United States, including suspected members of the rival 18th Street gang and MS-13 members attempting to flee MS-13 in El Salvador without permission.
Finally, drug trafficking was an important part of MS-13’s money-making operation, especially in Mexico, and the defendants used MS-13’s large membership in the United States to generate financial support for MS-13’s terrorist activities in El Salvador.
Since its creation in August 2019, JTFV has successfully implemented a whole-of-government approach to combatting MS-13, including increasing coordination and collaboration with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala; designating priority MS-13 programs, cliques and leaders, who have the most impact on the United States, for targeted prosecutions; and coordinating significant MS-13 indictments in U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the first use of national security charges against MS-13 leaders.
Members of the public with information concerning their whereabouts are strongly encouraged to contact the FBI’s toll-free MS-13 tip line, 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or HSI’s at (866) 347-2423 or https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form. Together, FBI and HSI have offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the four fugitives.