A federal court in Houston, Texas ordered Elmer Canales-Rivera, also known as Crook de Hollywood, a high-ranking leader of the notorious criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, to be transferred custody to the Eastern District of New York. This decision came after Canales-Rivera and 13 other high-ranking MS-13 leaders were indicted in December 2020 on terrorism offenses relating to their direction of the transnational criminal organization’s criminal activities in the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, and other countries over the past two decades.
Canales-Rivera was arrested by members of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) when he arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. He faced charges including 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.
The arrest of Canales-Rivera was a significant development in the fight against transnational criminal organizations like MS-13. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the importance of holding high-ranking leaders like Canales-Rivera accountable for their crimes. This arrest sends a clear message to other leaders of MS-13 that the Justice Department will not tolerate criminal activities that threaten the safety and security of communities.
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas praised the dedication and investigative abilities of HSI agents and federal partners for taking action against criminal organizations like MS-13. He highlighted the commitment to bringing all those who perpetrate transnational crimes to justice. FBI Director Christopher A. Wray also emphasized the FBI’s commitment to safeguarding the American public and dismantling criminal networks like MS-13.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York noted the significance of Canales-Rivera’s appearance in a federal courtroom in the United States. Canales-Rivera, along with his co-defendants, was alleged to have played significant leadership roles in MS-13’s operations in El Salvador, Mexico, the United States, and throughout the world. The indictment outlined the extensive command and control structure of MS-13, describing how Canales-Rivera and his cohorts directed acts of violence, murder, and engaged in military-style training to enforce their orders.
The indictment also highlighted the negotiation and agreements with officials from the government of El Salvador (GOES), through which MS-13 obtained benefits and concessions by engaging in public displays of violence to threaten and intimidate civilian populations. Canales-Rivera played a prominent role in MS-13’s negotiations and agreements with the GOES, further establishing the significance of his leadership within the organization.
MS-13’s transnational leadership structure directed members in the United States to commit acts of violence, including murders, to further its goals. The indictment outlined how MS-13 entwined itself in parts of the United States under the defendants’ leadership, leading to numerous acts of violence, including murders, attempted murders, assaults, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and extortion.
Following the unsealing of the indictment in January 2021, Canales-Rivera was in custody in El Salvador serving a prison sentence. The United States lodged an INTERPOL Red Notice and submitted an extradition request for Canales-Rivera to the GOES. However, in November 2021, Canales-Rivera was released from custody by the GOES and unlawfully entered Guatemala. He remained a fugitive until he was apprehended by Mexican authorities in November 2023.
The extradition of Canales-Rivera and his co-defendants is a crucial step in the fight against MS-13 and other transnational criminal organizations. The United States has also requested the extradition of 11 of Canales-Rivera’s co-defendants, including Borromeo Enrique Henriquez, widely known as the most powerful member of the Ranfla Nacional.
In conclusion, the arrest and extradition of Elmer Canales-Rivera are significant milestones in the fight against MS-13 and other transnational criminal organizations. These developments underscore the commitment of law enforcement agencies to hold high-ranking leaders accountable for their involvement in criminal activities that threaten the safety of communities both domestically and abroad. The United States is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal networks and bring those who perpetrate transnational crimes to justice.
