Jason M. Frierson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada
A key figure of the notorious MS-13 gang, Joel Vargas-Escobar, known by the alias "Momia," was apprehended in New York for his alleged involvement in a conspiracy linked to 11 murders. Indicted by the District of Nevada, Vargas-Escobar is facing charges that include racketeering conspiracy, two counts of murder-in-aid of racketeering, and associated firearms charges. Following his deportation to El Salvador, he had illegally reentered the United States and remained a fugitive for nearly four years.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi remarked, "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."
FBI Director Kash Patel noted, "The arrest of yet another violent and dangerous MS-13 leader is a major win for our FBI agents, law enforcement partners, and safer American streets."
Sigal Chattah, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, stated, "No matter where a violent MS-13 fugitive hides or how long it takes our skilled law enforcement partners will find them."
Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division emphasized the importance of community safety and cooperation, "The FBI is fully dedicated to utilizing all available resources to partner with local, state, and federal agencies in disrupting and dismantling criminal organizations that pose a threat to the communities we serve."
The indictment indicates MS-13, largely composed of individuals from Central America, operates with over 10,000 active members in the U.S. and additional members in Central America and Mexico. This gang's operations include murder, home invasions, and drug trafficking, organized by "cliques" with leaders known as "shot callers."
Vargas-Escobar was reportedly a leader in the “Parkview” clique of Las Vegas, accused of directly ordering two murders. His arrest involved coordination among multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). JTFV, formed in 2019, now targets both MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, comprising multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices and federal agencies including the FBI, DEA, and ATF.
The case is a part of "Operation Take Back America," aiming to counter illegal immigration and dismantle criminal organizations. Further details are available through the OCDETF Program.
Vargas-Escobar recently appeared in court in New York and will be transferred to Nevada for trial. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence. The case is being prosecuted by federal attorneys from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and the District of Nevada, supported by JTFV.
As the judicial process progresses, Vargas-Escobar, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
