On April 2, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada announced the arrest of Joel Vargas-Escobar, also known as “Momia,” a high-ranking leader of the notorious gang, La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). Vargas-Escobar was indicted on charges related to a racketeering conspiracy and the murders of 11 individuals over the course of a year.
The gang, which is primarily composed of individuals of Salvadoran and Central American descent, operates across the United States with over 10,000 active members. Vargas-Escobar, who had previously been deported to El Salvador, illegally reentered the U.S. and remained a fugitive for almost four years before his capture.
Court documents indicate that Vargas-Escobar led the “Parkview” clique, which operated in Las Vegas and California. Under his leadership, the clique is accused of committing 11 murders, with victims allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and killed in remote desert and mountain locations.
Vargas-Escobar is accused of personally ordering two of these murders while directing operations in Las Vegas. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence in prison.
This arrest is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle MS-13’s operations across the U.S. and hold its members accountable for violent crimes. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
