MS-13 gang member in US illegally captured in Massachusetts, state police say

Posted by Valeria Galgano on Wednesday, July 17, 2024

A fugitive wanted for a murder in El Salvador -- who entered the U.S. illegally multiple times -- was arrested in Massachusetts, according to authorities.

Massachusetts State Police on Monday identified the suspect as 44-year-old Wilmer A. Garcia-Manzanares, adding that he is a member of the notorious gang MS-13.

State police said heillegally entered the nation at least four times in recent years, including border crossings into New York and Texas.

Each time, after his capture and removal, he returned to the US," state police noted in a news release.

Garcia-Manzanares was arrested during a traffic stopalong Interstate 95 in Canton on Feb. 18 after a trooper learned he was in the country illegally, affiliated with MS-13, and wanted for murder. He was then released to the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

That's a great night's work," state police noted on X, which is the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

The news release noted the trooper pulled over a black Honda Odyssey because the minivan didn't have a light on its rear license plate.

"When the Trooper asked the operator for his driver’s license, the man stated he did not have a Massachusetts license," the release noted. "The driver showed the Trooper a photo on his phone of a driver’s license issued in El Salvador and provided a passport from that country that identified him as Garcia-Manzanares."

The trooper then searched the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database, which revealed Garcia-Manzanares was a fugitive.

"The NCIC response also indicated that Garcia-Manzanares could be armed and dangerous, had committed multiple crimes in New York state in recent years, and had previously been removed from the United States," according to the release. "The response also requested the arresting agency to immediately contact INTERPOL (the International Criminal Police Organization), which had issued a Red Notice -- a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and hold a wanted person pending extradition or surrender -- on behalf of El Salvadoran authorities for GARCIA-MANZANARES."

He was arrested for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and released to the custody of ICE.

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