Federal agents arrested a high-ranking member of the notorious MS-13 gang in Virginia on Thursday, according to Trump administration officials.
FBI Takes MS-13 Leader Into Custody
The FBI, working alongside state and local law enforcement, apprehended the 24-year-old suspect in Woodbridge, Virginia. Officials identified him as a key figure in the Salvadoran-based gang but did not disclose his name.
White House and FBI Confirm the Arrest
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the arrest in posts on X. Former President Donald Trump also reacted on Truth Social, praising the operation.
“A major MS-13 leader just captured. Tom Homan is a superstar!” Trump wrote, referring to his border czar.
In another post, Trump credited Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Patel, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Homan for their roles in the arrest.
FBI Officials Celebrate the Operation
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also commented on the arrest. He shared a post by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer and added, “I told you we were coming. Too late.”
Recent Crackdowns on MS-13
This arrest follows a recent decision by U.S. authorities to drop charges against Cesar Lopez-Larios, another MS-13 leader, to facilitate his deportation to El Salvador. The move was part of an agreement with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele.
In 2020, federal prosecutors indicted over a dozen MS-13 members on terrorism charges, linking them to organized crime operations in the U.S., Mexico, and El Salvador over the last 20 years.
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