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Three MS-13 Members Federally Charged in 2015 Gerson Vasquez-Portillo Murder

The arrests are part of Operation Sombra De La Bestia, a multi-agency effort to solve cold case murders tied to the violent transnational gang.

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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announces the arrest of gang members involved in four homicides, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Family members of a homicide victim listen to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announce the arrest of gang members involved in four homicides, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announces the arrest of gang members involved in four homicides, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Overview

  • Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal murder charges against three alleged MS-13 members for the 2015 murder of Gerson Vilelio Vasquez-Portillo in Palm Beach County, Florida.
  • The victim was brutally stabbed over 100 times and shot in the head as part of a gang initiation, highlighting the extreme violence associated with MS-13.
  • These arrests are part of a larger investigation into four gang-related murders in South Florida from 2014-2015, with nine total arrests and six convictions so far.
  • Operation Sombra De La Bestia, the multi-agency operation behind these arrests, underscores the collaboration between federal and local law enforcement to combat MS-13's transnational criminal network.
  • Bondi warned that additional arrests are expected as authorities continue their crackdown on MS-13, which has been designated a terrorist organization to enable enhanced enforcement measures.