Cesar Humberto Lopez-Larios, a high-ranking leader of the notorious MS-13 gang and a fugitive for over three years, was arrested at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on June 9, 2024. The arrest was a joint operation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Lopez-Larios, also known as "Grenas de Stoners" and "Oso de Stoners," faces serious terrorism-related charges in the Eastern District of New York.
These charges include conspiracy to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, conspiracy to finance terrorism, and narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Read: 10 Victims Freed From Human Trafficking Ring In Florida
He was among 14 MS-13 leaders indicted in 2021 for directing the gang's transnational criminal activities, which include murders, extortion, and drug trafficking. Lopez-Larios was an original member of the "Twelve Apostles of the Devil," a reference to the gang's top leader, and later joined the Ranfla Nacional, the gang's "Board of Directors."
“The arrest of Lopez-Larios, who is one of the most senior leaders of MS-13 in the world, is a significant achievement for law enforcement and another crucial step in the dismantling of this international criminal enterprise,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “The defendant will soon face a reckoning in a federal courtroom on Long Island where, acting on his orders, MS-13 has spilled so much blood and turned communities into war zones.”
“Now that Mr. Lopez-Larios is behind bars, he's no longer in his alleged position of power directing a reign of terror, nor enriching MS-13 and their cartel associates,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge Hawkins. “The FBI will continue to collaborate with our partners to seek justice and to find the remaining fugitives of this vicious transnational criminal enterprise.”
Lopez-Larios is currently in federal custody awaiting transfer to the Eastern District of New York to face the charges against him. His arrest signifies a major win for law enforcement in their ongoing efforts to dismantle MS-13 and combat organized crime.
__Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.__
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter.Sign up for our free newsletter.
