Latest news with #Roman-Bardales
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FBI arrests alleged MS-13 leader with help of Mexican government
The FBI extradited an alleged senior leader of the MS-13 gang who was on the agency's "10 most wanted" list with the help of the Mexican government, FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday. Patel said Mexican authorities arrested Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales -- who Patel said is believed to be a "key senior leader" of the gang. Roman-Bardales is being extradited to the United States, Patel added. Patel touted the arrest as a "major victory." MORE: During immigration raid, DHS Secretary Noem says ICE bringing 'consequences' "He was arrested in Mexico and is being transported within the U.S. as we speak, where he will face American justice," Patel wrote in a post on X. "This is a major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America." Roman-Bardales, 47, has been charged with several offenses for "his alleged role in ordering numerous acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members, as well as his role in drug distribution and extortion schemes in the United States and El Salvador," the FBI said. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Roman-Bardales in a New York court in 2022 after he was charged with conspiracy to provide and conceal material support and resources to terrorists; narco-terrorism conspiracy; racketeering conspiracy; and alien smuggling conspiracy. Mexican authorities got intelligence that Roman-Bardales was in Baxtla, Mexico. Mexican law enforcement was deployed to the area, where Roman-Bardales was identified and arrested, the FBI said. Patel thanked Mexican partners for their help in bringing Roman-Bardales to the U.S. "This crucial step enhances the safety of communities across America," Patel said. MORE: Chief Justice John Roberts pushes back against Trump's call to impeach judge The arrest comes as President Donald Trump and his administration target gangs such as MS-13. He discussed his efforts during his address to a joint session of Congress last month, mentioning the deaths of Jocelyn Nungaray -- who was killed by two undocumented men from Venezuela -- and Laken Riley -- who was killed by an undocumented immigrant. "All three savages charged with Jocelyn and Laken's murders were members of the Venezuelan prison gang -- the toughest gang, they say, in the world -- known as Tren de Aragua. Two weeks ago, I officially designated this gang, along with MS-13 and the bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartels, as foreign terrorist organizations. They are now officially in the same category as ISIS, and that's not good for them," Trump said in his joint address to Congress. Also, Trump's administration is working to deport gang members from the U.S. Over the weekend, the Trump administration handed over more than 200 alleged gang members -- including two top members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang -- to El Salvadoran authorities. The move has raised questions as to whether the deportations could be in violation of a federal judge's order temporarily blocking the removal of Venezuelans pursuant to the administration's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. FBI arrests alleged MS-13 leader with help of Mexican government originally appeared on
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
FBI extradites ‘Ten Most Wanted' list fugitive from Mexico: Patel
(The Hill) – The FBI extradited one of the 'Ten Most Wanted' list fugitives, an alleged key leader of international criminal gang MS-13, from Mexico. Related video: Senate confirms Kash Patel as FBI director. FBI Director Kash Patel said Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, a Salvadoran national, was extradited on Monday night and is being transported to the U.S. The federal law enforcement agency worked with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and 'other interagency partners.' 'He was arrested in Mexico and is being transported within the U.S. as we speak, where he will face American justice,' Patel said in a Tuesday morning post on social platform X. Patel touted the extradition as a 'major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America.' 'Thank you to our brave personnel for executing the mission,' Patel wrote. 'And thank you to Mexico's SSPC and FGE teams for their support of the FBI in this investigation and arrest,' referring to the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection (SSPC), Mexico's government agency tasked with supervising public safety and security. Mexican authorities said they arrested Roman-Bardales, 47, Monday in Veracruz, Mexico, on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway. In a joint statement from the from the Mexico's Defense Ministry, Navy, Office of Attorney General, the National Guard and the SSPC, Roman-Bardales was informed of his arrest, his legal rights were read out to him and he was transferred to Mexico City, 'where he will be taken to the appropriate authority, where he will subsequently be deported to the United States where he is wanted.' Parents of missing US student ask that she be declared dead The fugitive was wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement with MS-13's operations in both Mexico and the U.S. He was charged with 'several offenses' over his supposed role in 'ordering numerous acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members, as well as his role in drug distribution and extortion schemes in the United States and El Salvador,' according to FBI. U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York issued an arrest warrant for Roman-Bardales on Sept. 22, 2022 after being charged with 'Conspiracy to Provide and Conceal Material Support and Resources to Terrorists; Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy; Racketeering Conspiracy; and Alien Smuggling Conspiracy.' The FBI was offering up to $250,000 for information leading to Roman-Bardales' arrest. The agency website was updated to list him as 'captured.' The Trump administration last month designated MS-13, which is believed to have originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s, along with Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and half a dozen Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
18-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Mexico handing over one of FBI's 10 Most Wanted suspects to U.S. after arrest
Mexico is handing over one of the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives to the United States after his arrest in Veracruz, officials said. Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales is allegedly a key senior leader of MS-13 who has been directing gang activity in the United States, Mexico, and El Salvador, the FBI said . "This is a major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America," FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday on social media, adding that Roman-Bardales had been extradited to the U.S. on Monday night. Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York issued a federal arrest warrant in 2022 for Roman-Bardales over allegations of drug trafficking and various acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members. The FBI said Roman-Bardales is a senior leader of Mara Salvatrucha, more commonly known as MS-13, which is believed to have been founded as a neighborhood street gang in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by people fleeing civil war in El Salvador. Mexican officials said Roman-Bardales, a Salvadoran national, was arrested in Veracruz as a result of international cooperation efforts. He was identified on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway, Mexican officials said, and, after his identity was confirmed, officials took him into custody. The high-profile arrest by Mexican officials comes less than a month after the Mexican government extradited 29 prisoners to the United States, including drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero , who was wanted for the notorious killing of a U.S. DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. The recent extraditions come amid simmering tensions over tariffs between the U.S. and Mexico. President Trump has imposed tariffs on the U.S.'s southern neighbor, citing the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrant border crossings among the reasons. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has responded with retaliatory tariffs. Mr. Trump said earlier this month he was pausing some of the 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from Mexico covered under a 2020 trade agreement until April 2. Mr. Trump announced the delay on social media after a phone call with Sheinbaum, writing, "Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl." Megan Cerullo contributed to this report.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FBI announces arrest of one of ‘Ten Most Wanted'
(NewsNation) — The FBI has extradited one of the agency's 'Ten Most Wanted' from Mexico, Director Kash Patel announced on social media. The agency said Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales is believed to be a key senior member of MS-13. According to the agency, Roman-Bardales is accused of acts of violence against rival gang members and civilians. He is also accused of having played a role in drug distribution and extortion schemes in the United States and El Salvador. Trump to release JFK files Tuesday afternoon Roman-Bardales was arrested in Mexico and is being transported to the U.S. to be charged in the American justice system. 'This is a major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America,' Patel said. The arrest comes as the Trump administration has focused on cracking down on immigration and drug trafficking across the southern border. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
FBI extradites '10 Most Wanted' list fugitive from Mexico: Patel
The FBI extradited one of the 'Ten Most Wanted' list fugitives, an alleged key leader of international criminal gang MS-13, from Mexico. FBI Director Kash Patel said Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, a Salvadoran national, was extradited on Monday night and is being transported to the U.S. The federal law enforcement agency worked with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and 'other interagency partners.' 'He was arrested in Mexico and is being transported within the U.S. as we speak, where he will face American justice,' Patel said in a Tuesday morning post on the social platform X. Patel touted the extradition as a 'major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America.' 'Thank you to our brave personnel for executing the mission. And thank you to Mexico's SSPC and FGE teams for their support of the FBI in this investigation and arrest,' Patel wrote, referring to the Secretariat of Security and Civilian Protection (SSPC), Mexico's government agency tasked with supervising public safety and security. Mexican authorities said they arrested Roman-Bardales, 47, Monday in Veracruz, Mexico, on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway. According to a joint statement from the Mexican Defense Ministry, Navy, Office of Attorney General, the National Guard and SSPC, Roman-Bardales was informed of his arrest, his legal rights were read out to him and he was transferred to Mexico City, 'where he will be taken to the appropriate authority, where he will subsequently be deported to the United States where he is wanted.' The fugitive was wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement with MS-13's operations in both Mexico and the U.S. He was charged with 'several offenses' over his supposed role in 'ordering numerous acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members, as well as his role in drug distribution and extortion schemes in the United States and El Salvador,' according to the FBI. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued an arrest warrant for Roman-Bardales on Sept. 22, 2022, after he was charged with 'conspiracy to provide and conceal material support and resources to terrorists; narco-terrorism conspiracy; racketeering conspiracy; and alien smuggling conspiracy.' The FBI was offering up to $250,000 for information leading to Roman-Bardales's arrest. The agency website was updated to list him as 'captured.' The Trump administration last month designated MS-13, which is believed to have originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s; the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua; and half a dozen Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
