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Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City arrested Melvin Orlando Hernandez Villanueva, an unlawfully present noncitizen wanted by Salvadoran authorities for prosecution on two counts of aggravated homicide and unlawful groups. Hernandez is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for the crimes.
ERO Fugitive Operations officers from its Long Island office and members of the FBI’s Gang Task Force arrested the 27-year-old Salvadoran national and MS-13 gang member without incident near his residence in Queens pursuant to an arrest warrant and transferred him to Central Islip for processing. During the arrest, officers recovered a loaded handgun, a box of ammunition and a small amount of marijuana. Hernandez will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.
On March 28, 2019, Salvadoran authorities issued an arrest warrant for Hernandez for two counts of aggravated homicide and unlawful groups.
On an unknown date and at an unknown location, Hernandez unlawfully entered the United States at a place not designated as a port of entry by the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security, thus he was not admitted, inspected or paroled into the United States by a U.S. immigration official.
NEW: NYC based ICE deportation officers have arrested a Salvadoran MS-13 gang member with an Interpol Red Notice for two counts of murder in El Salvador. He was arrested in Queens, and had a loaded handgun on him. He illegally entered the US as a gotaway, unknown time/location.… pic.twitter.com/A6EqW48SQE
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) July 1, 2024
On Oct. 2, 2023, Interpol issued a Red Notice indicating Hernandez is wanted by authorities in El Salvador for the aforementioned charges.
On Oct. 12, 2023, the FBI provided ERO New York City’s Long Island officers with information pertaining to Hernandez’s Interpol Red Notice.
