Brade
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A suspected MS-13 gang member with a violent criminal history has been apprehended by authorities after evading law enforcement for over a year. LEONEL VARGAS JR., 24, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon by the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) in a coordinated operation involving federal agents.
Vargas faces a slew of charges, including felony aggravated assault by strangulation, felony aggravated burglary, felony probation violation, misdemeanor domestic assault, and two counts of misdemeanor theft of property. Jail records indicate he is currently ineligible for bond.
The arrest was the result of a collaborative effort between MNPD’s Specialized Investigations Division (SID) and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Authorities have been investigating Vargas‘ alleged affiliation with MS-13, a notoriously violent Salvadoran gang. The ATF confirmed to Fox News Digital that their investigation into his gang ties remains ongoing.
Vargas has a lengthy criminal record dating back to 2019, when he was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation, two counts of domestic assault resulting in bodily injury, and one count of domestic assault with fear of bodily injury. He was sentenced to probation for those offenses. In 2022, he violated his probation, resulting in a one-year prison sentence and a year of supervised release. That same year, a 2021 case involving felony evading arrest by motor vehicle and reckless endangerment was reopened. He was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to two years of supervised release.
Last year, Vargas was charged with felony domestic aggravated assault, burglary, and theft, prompting a manhunt that culminated in his arrest this week. Police say he had been on the run since those charges were filed.
The capture of Vargas comes amidst heightened efforts to combat MS-13, both domestically and internationally. Earlier this week, FBI Director KASH PATEL announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of the gang’s leader in Honduras, Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias. In the United States, the gang has recently made headlines following the deportation of another alleged member, illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to El Salvador. Garcia was implicated in labor and human trafficking, according to a 2022 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) report obtained by Fox News.
This arrest underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in dismantling transnational criminal organizations like MS-13. Authorities continue to urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
[Sources: Metro Nashville Police Department, Fox News](https://www.foxnews.com)
