Brooklyn, NY – A leader of the MS-13 gang, Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, was arraigned earlier today on charges related to directing the gang’s illegal activities in the U.S., El Salvador, and other countries over two decades. Roman-Bardales, a 47-year-old from Ahuachapán, El Salvador, had been a fugitive for nearly three years and was recently apprehended and expelled by Mexican authorities.
Roman-Bardales is accused of holding a significant leadership position within MS-13’s organizational structure, which spans several countries. In the related case of United States v. Henriquez, et al., a grand jury previously indicted 14 members. Extradition requests for 11 defendants have been submitted and are pending.
The indictment alleges activities that include violent acts aimed at influencing Salvadoran government policies and expanding territory through intimidation and violence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has prosecuted numerous MS-13 members, accounting for over 80 murders in the region since 2009…