A ruthless MS-13 gang leader who was deported in 2018 sneaked back into the US illegally and orchestrated 11 brutal murders before finally being caught on Long Island after a four-year manhunt.
At a Glance
- Joel “Momia” Vargas-Escobar, a high-ranking MS-13 leader, was arrested in Long Island after evading capture for four years
- Vargas-Escobar faces charges for orchestrating 11 murders across Nevada and California, with victims reportedly tortured and killed in remote locations
- He was previously deported to El Salvador in 2018 but illegally re-entered the United States
- MS-13 operates with approximately 10,000 members across 10 states and Washington D.C., using violence and intimidation to control their criminal enterprises
- If convicted, Vargas-Escobar faces a mandatory life sentence
Another Violent Criminal Who Should Never Have Been Here
In a development that should shock absolutely no one who’s been paying attention to our border crisis, Joel “Momia” Vargas-Escobar, an MS-13 leader linked to nearly a dozen murders, was arrested after illegally re-entering the country following his 2018 deportation. This is what happens when our southern border resembles a welcome mat rather than a sovereign boundary. Law enforcement finally nabbed this monster in Westbury, Nassau County after he spent four years evading capture while allegedly continuing his reign of terror across multiple states.
The FBI, alongside multiple agency partners, took Vargas-Escobar into custody on federal charges including racketeering conspiracy, murder-in-aid of racketeering, and firearms offenses. He’s accused of co-leading the “Parkview” clique of MS-13, which operated primarily in Las Vegas and California. This is the brutal reality of what’s happening while the Biden administration focuses on pronouns and electric vehicle mandates instead of protecting American citizens from violent criminals who shouldn’t even be in our country.
A Transnational Threat Enabled by Open Borders
MS-13 isn’t just some random street gang – it’s a sophisticated transnational criminal organization with approximately 10,000 members across the United States. The gang operates in subsets called “cliques,” each led by “shot callers” like Vargas-Escobar. Their methods are as brutal as they are effective, using intimidation and extreme violence to maintain control over their territory and criminal enterprises. According to the indictment, victims were kidnapped, tortured, and executed in remote locations – a level of barbarity that belongs in a horror movie, not American neighborhoods.
“MS-13 operates through the use of intimidation and violence, including murder, and enriching members and associates through criminal activities, including breaking into houses and stealing firearms, jewelry, cash, and other items of value, and selling narcotics” said federal officials.
The indictment against the “Parkview” clique of MS-13 details 11 murders across Nevada and California. Think about that for a moment – eleven American lives lost because our immigration system failed to keep this animal out of our country after we already deported him once. How many more violent criminals are walking among us right now because we’ve essentially abandoned any pretense of border security? The answer should terrify every law-abiding citizen.
A Return to Law and Order
Attorney General Pam Bondi pulled no punches in her statement following the arrest, highlighting the stark difference between the previous administration’s approach to border security and the current chaos. “This terrorist entered our country illegally and is accused of orchestrating 11 murders — under President Trump’s leadership, we will not rest until this terrorist organization is completely dismantled and its members are behind bars,” Bondi declared. Remember when we had leadership that prioritized American safety over political correctness?
“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. This terrorist entered our country illegally and is accused of orchestrating 11 murders — under President Trump’s leadership, we will not rest until this terrorist organization is completely dismantled and its members are behind bars.” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
Vargas-Escobar’s arrest was part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations that have been allowed to flourish under weak border policies. He now faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted – which is exactly what should happen to violent criminals who prey on American communities. But the bigger question remains: how many more Joel Vargas-Escobars are out there right now, having waltzed across our border to continue their criminal activities on American soil? Until we get serious about border security, this won’t be the last story of this kind we read.
