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MS-13 Leader On FBI’s Most Wanted List Arrested In Mexico, Extradited to U.S.
Charlie Kirk Staff
03/19/2025
Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, an alleged high-ranking MS-13 leader on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, has been arrested in Mexico and is being extradited to the United States. FBI Director Kash Patel announced the development on Tuesday, confirming that Mexican authorities captured Roman-Bardales on Monday in the mountains of Veracruz with assistance from soldiers and federal agents. Prior to his arrest, the FBI had offered a $250,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
“I can now confirm that last night, working with the Justice Department and other interagency partners, the FBI has extradited one of our ‘Ten Most Wanted’ from Mexico — one we believe to be a key senior leader of MS-13, Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales,” Patel said in a statement.
“He was arrested in Mexico and is being transported within the U.S. as we speak, where he will face American justice. This is a major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America. Thank you to our brave personnel for executing the mission. And thank you to Mexico’s SSPC and FGE teams for their support of the FBI in this investigation and arrest,” he added.
The FBI stated that Roman-Bardales faces multiple charges in the Eastern District of New York related to his alleged involvement in violent crimes, drug distribution, and extortion schemes in both the United States and El Salvador. He is accused of ordering numerous acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members.
MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, was one of eight Latin American criminal organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration last month.
Roman-Bardales’ arrest comes nearly a month after another high-profile extradition of a cartel member. In late February, Mexican authorities handed over Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez, a senior figure in the H-2 cartel, to face drug trafficking charges in New York. Prosecutors say Sanchez oversaw the transport of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine into the U.S. from 2013 to 2016, using distribution networks across multiple states.
“As alleged in the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization, a brutally violent transnational criminal organization that flooded American streets with dangerous drugs and protected its operations through murder and corruption,” U.S. Attorney John Durham stated.
Authorities say Sanchez directed cartel members to kill rivals and other perceived threats. His extradition followed Mexico’s decision to hand over 29 cartel figures earlier this year, including Rafael Caro Quintero, the drug lord accused of orchestrating the murder of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985.
Mexico has ramped up efforts against drug cartels, particularly the Sinaloa Cartel, a key trafficker of fentanyl into the United States. President Claudia Sheinbaum has emphasized cooperation with President Donald Trump, aiming to demonstrate that Mexico is a strong partner in security and immigration enforcement.
