A man believed to be a leader of the MS-13 gang, one of the largest criminal organizations, has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), CNN reported.
Freddy Iván Jandres Parada was captured after four years on the run. according to CNN. According to reports, Jandres Parada was charged in December 2020 by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York with being a member of the board of directors of a gang called Ranfra Nacional.
The FBI was offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest. according to Bureau’s Most Wanted List.
“Freddy Ivan Jandres Parada is wanted for his alleged involvement in directing MS-13 operations in the United States, Mexico, and El Salvador,” the FBI said. (Related article: MS-13 gang leader sentenced to life in prison for series of horrific crimes).
The agency added: “Jandres Parada is accused of numerous acts of violence against civilians, law enforcement, and rival gang members, as well as multiple terrorist offenses for directing drug distribution and extortion schemes around the world.” He has been indicted for this,” he added.
MS-13 gang leader, one of FBI’s most wanted, arrested at southern border https://t.co/9elCyKohtV pic.twitter.com/6DFPuV0LFg
— New York Post (@nypost) March 22, 2024
The 48-year-old man was arrested in San Diego, California, on March 7, according to federal authorities, CNN reported. The next day, he reportedly waived bail, which was denied, according to jail documents. Jandres Parada is currently in a federal prison in San Diego, awaiting transfer to a federal detention center in New York, court records show, the New York Post reported. report.
According to CNN, prosecutors have charged multiple MS-13 gang members with significant support for terrorism and narcoterrorism. They reportedly claimed that the organization was “running a military-style training camp.” The indictment says he “obtained weapons, handguns, rifles, grenades, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and rocket launchers” and “directed acts of violence and murder in El Salvador, the United States, and elsewhere.”
