A joint operationĀ involvingĀ U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Virginia State Police (VSP) led to the arrest of aĀ confirmedĀ MS-13 gang member wanted in El Salvador for extortion, blackmail, and terroristĀ association. The suspect,Ā Silvia Lorena Bonilla-De Jandres, a 40-year-old illegal Salvadoran national, wasĀ takenĀ into custodyĀ in Alexandria, Virginia, on February 25.
TheĀ arrest,Ā asĀ statedĀ inĀ aĀ Monday, April 7, 2025,Ā pressĀ releaseĀ by ICE,Ā was the result ofĀ combinedĀ efforts involving ICE’s Washington, D.C. field office, FBI and DEA agents from their Washington, D.C.Ā field offices, and VSP officials.Ā TheĀ captureĀ ofĀ Bonilla isĀ a significant victory in the fight against transnational criminal organizationsĀ inĀ the United States.
āSilvia Lorena Bonilla-De Jandres is not only a member of a transnational criminal enterprise known for violence, she has also apparently attempted to flee justice in her home country and hide out in Northern Virginia,ā said Russ Hott, Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Washington, D.C., as quoted in the ICE statement. āWe will not allow our Washington, D.C. and Virginia communities to become safe havens for the worldās bad actors. ICE Washington, D.C. remains dedicated to our mission of prioritizing public safety and protecting our residents by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders.ā
ICEĀ saidĀ that BonillaĀ unlawfullyĀ entered the United StatesĀ inĀ theĀ Rio Grande Valley, Texas, onĀ Feb.Ā 21, 2016, where she wasĀ caughtĀ by U.S. Border Patrol andĀ processedĀ forĀ removal.
In spite ofĀ this, sheĀ continuedĀ to stayĀ in the country.Ā ElĀ SalvadoranĀ policeĀ arrestedĀ andĀ chargedĀ herĀ on August 28, 2017,Ā forĀ aggravated extortion, blackmail, and terroristĀ associationĀ due to herĀ associationĀ withĀ MS-13, a notorious street gang.Ā A red notice for BonillaĀ was issued by InterpolĀ on November 24, 2017,Ā whichĀ madeĀ theĀ globalĀ effortĀ forĀ herĀ arrestĀ even more pressing.
The ICEĀ newsĀ releaseĀ alsoĀ saidĀ that on July 11, 2025, a Department of Justice immigration judge ordered BonillaĀ removedĀ from the United States to El Salvador,Ā pavingĀ theĀ wayĀ for her extradition toĀ answerĀ the charges in herĀ nativeĀ country.
MS-13,Ā alsoĀ known asĀ Mara Salvatrucha,Ā hasĀ beenĀ extensivelyĀ documentedĀ for its violent activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, and murder,Ā inĀ Central America and theĀ United States.Ā The apprehension ofĀ BonillaĀ underscores the ongoing challenge ofĀ confrontingĀ gang-related crime and theĀ valueĀ of interagency collaboration inĀ pursuingĀ individuals whoĀ utilizeĀ immigrationĀ processesĀ to evadeĀ justice.Ā ICEĀ citedĀ itsĀ dedicationĀ to public safetyĀ andĀ pledgedĀ toĀ persistĀ inĀ targetingĀ and removingĀ criminalĀ aliensĀ thatĀ endangerĀ American communities.Ā TheĀ caseĀ ofĀ Bonilla serves to underscoreĀ the intersection of immigration enforcement and the broader effort toĀ breakĀ upĀ organized crimeĀ ringsĀ withĀ internationalĀ tentacles.
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