Top Gang Leader Arrested in Virginia: A Major Blow to MS-13

U.S. prosecutors charged Henrry Josue Villatoro, an alleged MS-13 leader, with illegal firearm possession following his arrest in Virginia. Officials noted evidence of his gang affiliation while searching his home. Despite public claims of Villatoro's gang leadership, formal charges related to MS-13 were not made at this stage.

U.S. prosecutors charged Henrry Josue Villatoro, a 24-year-old El Salvadoran man, with illegal firearm possession, following an arrest conducted in a Virginia raid. Villatoro allegedly holds a leadership role in the notorious MS-13 gang, according to federal officials.

During his court appearance in Alexandria, Virginia, Villatoro was accused of illegal firearm possession, a charge related to his undocumented status in the United States. Law enforcement officials indicated signs of MS-13 association in his residence, though no formal charges of gang leadership were yet specified in court.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi asserted that Villatoro is one of the top three MS-13 leaders on the East Coast. Villatoro's arrest marks another significant step in the ongoing battle against MS-13's criminal activities in the U.S., according to Bondi.

(With inputs from agencies.)