Alleged MS-13 leader on FBI’s ‘most wanted’ list extradited from Mexico to US
The FBI extradited one of their “ten most wanted” targets, an MS-13 boss, from Mexico to the US this week.
The feds believe Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales is “a key senior leader of MS-13” and took him into custody Monday night after Mexican authorities nabbed him.
The alleged gang leader is now behind bars in the US, where he will face charges.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the move “a major victory” to ensure “a safer America” in a Tuesday X post.
Roman-Bardales was wanted by the US government for his alleged role with MS-13, orchestrating gang activities in the US, Mexico and El Salvador, where he allegedly ordered violence against both civilians and rival gangs, while also distributing drugs and carrying out extortion schemes.
A federal court in Central Islip, New York, issued a warrant for Roman-Bardales’ arrest on Sept. 22, 2022, after he was charged with conspiracy to provide and conceal material support and resources to terrorists; narco-terrorism conspiracy; racketeering conspiracy; and alien smuggling conspiracy.
While chasing down the foreign fugitive, the FBI offered the public up to $250,000 to help hunt down Roman-Bardales.
The transfer is all part of a larger effort by the Trump admin to bring foreign criminals to justice in the US.
The feds recently extradited 29 cartel members following President Trump’s threat to slap imports from Mexico with a 25% tariff if the country doesn’t do more to crack down on illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
During the handoff with the Mexican government, the US took custody of drug cartel kingpin Rafael Caro Quintero, known as the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s top target for his role in the 1985 killing of US DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.
The killer was moved from Mexico to New York City last month.
At the time, the Department of Justice said that many of the foreign criminals had extradition requests that “were not honored” during President Joe Biden’s tenure in office, and that the Mexican government followed through after Trump designated the Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
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