Pam Bondi hails gangbusting dream team as it claims biggest scalp yet with MS-13 leader takedown
Dale City, Virginia: Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials announced the arrest of one of the most senior leaders of the MS-13 gang early Tuesday morning in a targeted operation, just 30 minutes outside of Washington, D.C.
The suspect, described as one of the top three MS-13 leaders in the US and the head of the gang’s East Coast operations, was apprehended in Dale City, Prince William County, after an extensive multi-agency investigation. Authorities confirmed he is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador and will face deportation proceedings.
US Attorney General Bondi, alongside Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other law enforcement leaders, praised the operation as a model of interagency cooperation. The arrest was part of a broader Homeland Security Task Force initiative launched in early March, which has already led to 342 arrests in Northern Virginia — including 81 gang-affiliated individuals — and the execution of 39 search warrants.
"This was teamwork at its finest — no egos, just law enforcement working together to take down a dangerous criminal," said Attorney General Bondi. "Because of this operation, America is safer today."
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Governor Youngkin emphasized the task force’s role in combating transnational crime, calling MS-13 and similar groups "international terrorist organizations" that have infiltrated communities. He criticized sanctuary city policies, vowing to withhold state funding from jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
MS-13, a gang with roots in El Salvador, is known for extreme violence, including drug trafficking, human smuggling, and homicides. The arrested leader allegedly oversaw brutal criminal activities and recruited members as young as teenagers.
"This individual should never have been in our country," said Bondi, blaming former president Joe Biden's administration’s border policies for allowing dangerous criminals to enter the US.
US Attorney Eric Seberg highlighted the task force’s intelligence-driven approach, which identified 575 targets in less than a month. FBI Director Patel credited President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting drug cartels as critical to the operation’s success.
"If you’re here illegally and committing crimes, you will meet the same fate," Patel warned, urging communities to support law enforcement.
Officials pledged to expand the task force model nationwide, with Governor Youngkin inviting other states to adopt Virginia’s strategies. "This is just the beginning," said Seberg. "We won’t stop until every violent gang member is off our streets."