Source: US Marshals Service
Winston-Salem, NC – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF), working with the USMS NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and assisted by the Winston-Salem Police Department and U.S. Immigration Enforcement and Removal Operations, arrested at approximately 11:45 a.m. today a high-ranking MS-13 member in the 3000 block of Gilmer Avenue in Winston-Salem.
Josue Zepeda-Padilla, an illegal immigrant who has eluded law enforcement officials for over a year, is one of seven alleged members of the MS-13 street gang indicted for a violent gang assault and kidnapping of a 15-year-old in New York, in which the defendants allegedly robbed, kidnapped, assaulted and left the victim unconscious in an abandoned building. On Jan. 24, 2024, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office charged Zepeda-Padilla with assault, kidnapping, and gang assault.
“The United States Marshals Service is committed to locating and apprehending violent fugitives across our nation,” said Catrina Thompson, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of North Carolina. “In this case, the USMS Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, with our law enforcement partners from the Winston-Salem Police Department, North Carolina and Immigrations, Customs and Enforcement apprehend Josue Zepeda Padilla. Padilla had been traveling between various cities in North Carolina and was in Winston-Salem at the time of his apprehension.”
“This arrest is a critical victory in our ongoing effort to bring violent fugitives to justice,” said Vincent F. DeMarco, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of New York. “The United States Marshals Service is committed to relentlessly pursuing violent criminals who pose a threat to our communities, especially those who enter the United States illegally and ensuring they face the consequences of their actions.”
The USMS CRFTF began operations in January 2018. The CRFTF has partnership agreements with four federal and 68 state and local agencies; and operates in South Carolina and North Carolina. The CRFTF has apprehended more than 8,900 fugitives since its inception and is always striving to make communities safer.
U.S. Marshals task forces combine the efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the most dangerous fugitives. Dedicated to reducing violent crime by locating and apprehending wanted criminals, they also serve as the central point for agencies to share information on fugitive matters. Task force officers are state and local police officers who receive special deputations with the Marshals. While on a task force, these officers can exercise U.S. Marshals authorities, such as crossing jurisdictional lines.
The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) encourages the community to continue to collaborate with our deputies on tips that help find the whereabouts of a fugitive by contacting our local office at (787) 766-6297, calling the U.S. Marshals Service Communication Center at 1 (800) 336-0102, or submitting tips using the USMS Tips App.