Authorities arrested an alleged MS-13 gang member on Friday after an attempted carjacking incident in Coral Gables, a crime that was thwarted by the would-be victim’s quick thinking. The suspect, Wilson Verela, approached a resident at a stop sign near 1500 Red Road while masked and attempted to commandeer the vehicle. The resident managed to escape and immediately contacted the police, according to NBC Miami.
The quick response from Coral Gables Police resulted in Verela’s capture, and they also recovered a gun, knife, and the mask used during the attempted carjacking. Verela, a Honduran national, had previously been incarcerated for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and was recently released from prison, as Local 10 News reported. He walked out of prison on Feb. 10, having been sentenced to a year and nine months on February 8, 2024.
Further complicating the matter, during the investigation, authorities reported that Verela admitted membership in MS-13, confirming the fears associated with the notorious international gang’s activities. Coral Gables Police are currently cooperating with Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection to determine his legal status in the United States. The suspect’s admission was reported by Sgt. Michelle Christensen, a spokeswoman for the Coral Gables Police Department, who highlighted this confession in a statement obtained by NBC Miami…