A significant arrest took place in New York, as Joel Vargas-Escobar, also known as "Momia," a high-ranking leader of the notorious gang MS-13, was detained. Vargas-Escobar is implicated in an alleged conspiracy connected to 11 murders. He is facing charges for racketeering conspiracy, including 11 murders, alongside two counts of murder-in-aid of racketeering and associated firearms charges.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented, "The American people are safer following the arrest of yet another MS-13 leader thanks to the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Joint Task Force Vulcan." She highlighted the ongoing efforts under her leadership to dismantle MS-13.
FBI Director Kash Patel also remarked, "The arrest of yet another violent and dangerous MS-13 leader is a major win for our FBI agents, law enforcement partners, and safer American streets." He underlined the continued coordination across multiple field offices to apprehend gang leaders.
MS-13, a national and transnational gang predominantly comprising individuals of Salvadoran or other Central American descent, has a formidable presence, with more than 10,000 members in at least 10 states and Washington, D.C. The gang engages in various criminal activities, including murder, theft, and drug sales. MS-13 is organized into "cliques," with each directed by leaders often referred to as "shot callers."
Vargas-Escobar and his associates are believed to play significant roles in the operations of MS-13’s cliques in Las Vegas and California, specifically the "Parkview" clique. This group is accused of executing 11 murders within Nevada and California. Vargas-Escobar allegedly ordered two of these murders.
The capture of Vargas-Escobar was orchestrated by the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, involving various support from the agency’s field offices, the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, and multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices. The operation is aligned with Joint Task Force Vulcan’s objective to dismantle MS-13.
Vargas-Escobar appeared in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks for his initial hearing. He is to be transferred to the District of Nevada for his trial. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence. The case is managed by attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and the District of Nevada's U.S. Attorneys, with support from Joint Task Force Vulcan.
The charges against Vargas-Escobar remain allegations, and he, along with his co-defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.