Three Suspected MS-13 Members in Florida Charged with Federal Murder – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
2:00 PM – Friday, April 4, 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced that federal murder charges have been filed against three suspected MS-13 gang members or affiliates linked to a violent murder case in Florida.
Advertisement
The suspects are accused of fatally stabbing and shooting Gerson Vilelio Vasquez-Portillo, 22, in western Palm Beach County in 2015. He was thought to be connected to a rival gang.
The arrests stem from investigations into cold cases that took place in 2014 and 2015 across Broward County in South Florida, as reported by officials. One of the victims endured a horrific attack, being stabbed around 100 times before being shot in the head.
“These gangs are organized. They are terrorists. And look at these guys, they thought they got away with it for almost a decade but they did not,” Bondi stated. “They are living among us because they believe they can escape justice, but they cannot.”
Attorney General Bondi mentioned that Jose Ezequiel Gamez-Maravilla and Wilber Rosendo Navarro-Escobar were apprehended in Florida, while the third suspect, Hugo Adiel Bermudez-Martinez, was taken into custody in Minnesota.
“We will be assessing whether to pursue the death penalty,” Bondi remarked. “More arrests are on the way. If you are a gang member residing in this country, I suggest you self-deport now because we’re coming for you.”
The arrests were part of a coordinated effort called ‘Operation Sombra De La Bestia,’ or ‘Operation Shadow of the Beast.’
Additionally, five other MS-13 gang members were implicated in the murder of Vasquez-Portillo.
In total, nine alleged members of MS-13 have been detained in connection with unresolved homicide cases in Broward and Palm Beach counties, announced Bondi during the press conference.
Other victims included Joel Antonio Canizales-Lara, who was lured to a vacant field in Oakland Park and brutally murdered in November 2014 after he falsely claimed gang affiliation. Authorities indicated he was stabbed approximately 100 times.
His remains were buried in a makeshift grave and discovered in 2021 following an excavation.
Another victim, 18-year-old Omar DeJesus Gutierrez, was shot for displaying rival gang signs, despite not being a confirmed gang member, according to court documents.
Twenty-five-year-old Chrislet Ondina was also murdered in October 2015 as part of a gang initiation rite for one of the suspects, the documents reveal.
Authorities noted that murder is frequently part of the initiation into the gang.
Tirado-Silva and Cruz-Ortiz were linked to three of the murders, while Tovar was involved in two, according to officials.
“It doesn’t matter when you committed the crime. It doesn’t matter where you come from. If you come here and choose to take a life, we will utilize every resource at our disposal to bring you to justice,” stated Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony.
The MS-13 gang was formed in the 1980s in Los Angeles by Salvadoran immigrants escaping civil conflict. Since its inception, the gang has spread nationwide and is infamous for its extreme violence, including murder, extortion, racketeering, and drug trafficking.
Stay updated! Get breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Advertisements below