MS-13 Leader on El Salvador’s ‘Most Wanted’ List Discovered in NE

Gang Member Arrested in Nebraska

An illegal immigrant linked to the violent MS-13 gang was detained on Wednesday in Omaha, Nebraska.

According to a press release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), this individual is a high-ranking member of MS-13 and is also among El Salvador’s most wanted fugitives. This arrest resulted from a homeland security investigation.

The agency highlighted that this man, a criminal foreigner, has a history of violence in El Salvador, having been involved in the murders of several victims, although they did not disclose specific names.

In addition to him, authorities also apprehended another illegal immigrant described as his associate in MS-13, suggesting they had been living together.

The associate, identified as Rene Saul Escobar Ochoa, 30, is similarly a known criminal foreigner and member of the gang. Escobar Ochoa faces serious charges including directing multiple murders, extortion, imprisonment, and drug trafficking.

Mark Ziet, a special agent from HSI Kansas City overseeing Omaha, commented that these illegal aliens didn’t just enter the U.S. without permission; they brought with them a legacy of violence and fear.

In related news, ICE also reported the arrest of another MS-13 member, a 30-year-old named Johnny Handy Martinez Barilla, in Indiana. He had previously been released from custody in Maryland earlier this year without coordination with ICE, despite facing serious charges including first-degree murder and firearm possession.

The White House mentioned this week that many of the recent illegal arrests made by ICE had ties to violent activities.

Earlier in 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that since 2009, the MS-13 gang has been responsible for over 65 murders on Long Island, New York, leading to charges against 13 of its members.

Federal prosecutors noted that these gang members help maintain MS-13’s organizational structure while executing violent activities in El Salvador, impacting local elections and threatening civilians. They’ve also been linked to acts of violence throughout the U.S. and beyond, including multiple homicides.