High-ranking MS-13 leader, accused of directing crime in 3 countries, charged in federal court, prosecutors say

An alleged high-ranking MS-13 leader, accused of directing criminal activities in three countries, was charged with conspiracy to commit terrorism and narco-terrorism in federal court Friday.

Cesar Humberto Lopez-Larios, 45, had been managing criminal activities with the transnational gang organization in the United States, El Salvador and Mexico for two decades, prosecutors said. After evading authorities for nearly four years, the FBI arrested him at a Houston airport last month. He was then transferred to a detention facility in New York.

"The arrest of Lopez-Larios is a significant achievement for law enforcement and another crucial step in the dismantling of this international criminal enterprise," United States Attorney Breon Peace said in a news release in June following his arrest. "Acting on his orders, MS-13 has spilled so much blood and turned communities into war zones."

At his arraignment, Lopez-Larios wore a navy prison uniform and a short goatee. His lawyer, Jeffrey G. Pittell, sat at his right elbow. An interpreter also accompanied Lopez-Larios, an El Salvador citizen. He nodded as she whispered to him.

In all, he was charged with: conspiracy to provide support and resources to terrorists; conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries; conspiracy to finance terrorism; and narco-terrorism conspiracy.

Court documents say the defendant was a founding member of MS-13’s "Twelve Apostles of the Devil," a high-ranking leadership body for the organization. Lopez-Larios later joined the "Ranfla Nacional," where he helped construct a formal hierarchy to manage gang activities and oversaw the expansion of MS-13 globally, prosecutors said.

The Ranfla Nacional and MS-13 are alleged to have directed members to commit acts of violence throughout the United States, including within the Eastern District of New York, which includes Long Island. 

Prosecutors agreed to delay the trial, acknowledging the "complexity of the case" required more time to prepare. Lopez-Larios is one of 14 co-defendants listed on the federal indictment. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Pittell declined to comment. Lopez-Larios is next scheduled to appear in court Sept. 11.