Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
In a collaborative effort, federal, state, and local law enforcement have brought charges and secured convictions against members of the MS-13 gang for a series of murders in South Florida. The cooperation involved agencies like the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, FBI Miami, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). Their joint work focused on resolving four homicides linked to this transnational criminal organization, which is recognized as a terrorist group. The initiative led to federal indictments in the Southern District of Florida under case numbers 22-cr-60078 and 25-cr-20102. These legal actions resulted in mandatory life sentences for six MS-13 members and pending death penalty charges against three others.
Beginning in 2015, BSO detectives investigated two homicides in Oakland Park, Florida, suspected to be gang-related. The victims, identified as O.G., 18, and C.O., 25, were killed using knives or machetes. Despite investigations running cold, they were reignited in 2020 when BSO's Cold Case Unit joined FBI Miami and the U.S. Attorney's Office, uncovering two more related murders. The body of G.V.P., 22, was found in Palm Beach, while J.C.L., 18, was discovered after an extensive search in Oakland Park.
Through advanced investigative techniques, the law enforcement collaboration attributed these killings to the MS-13 gang. This led to legal proceedings for nine MS-13 members. In the 2022 federal case, six defendants faced convictions for murder in aid of racketeering, facing mandatory life sentences. Andy Tovar, also known as “Fearless,” was implicated in two murders, while Wilson Tirado-Silva, also known as “Sombra,” confessed to four charges. Other convicted members included Miguel Angel Cabrera-Granados, Melvin David Cruz-Ortiz, Kevin Ricardo Gamez-Melendez, and Wilber Geovanni Vigil-Benitez.
In a second case filed in 2025, three defendants—Jose Ezequiel Gamez-Maravilla, Hugo Adiel Bermudez-Martinez, and Wilber Rosendo Navarro-Escobar—face charges with similar penalties pending in court. Despite the present charges, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Hayden P. O’Byrne, emphasized the impact of these crimes on community safety, stating, “These vicious and callous acts by MS-13 not only shattered lives but also undermined the safety and security of South Florida communities.” Other officials, including FBI's Brett Skiles and Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony, echoed the sentiments of justice and collaboration in addressing violent crime.
This effort forms part of larger operations like the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Operation Take Back America, targeting high-level criminal organizations. It demonstrates a cohesive strategy integrating multiple agencies to combat transnational criminal threats.
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