DOJ Issues Major New Move
DOJ Arrests Violent MS-13 Gang Member Who Was in the US Illegally
A member of the violent MS-13 gang, Bayron Wuifredo Santos-Recarte, a Honduran national who was in the U.S. illegally, was sentenced to 147 months in prison for his involvement in a brutal kidnapping, retaliating against a federal witness, and possessing a firearm unlawfully.
Santos-Recarte’s crimes took place in November 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee, where he and other MS-13 members kidnapped a former federal witness at gunpoint.
The victim had previously testified in a federal racketeering trial against MS-13 members, exposing the gang’s violent criminal activities.
The gang sought retribution for his testimony, which included his revelation that MS-13 members had attempted to murder him on two separate occasions due to a drug-related dispute.
Santos-Recarte and his associates held the victim captive in a truck for hours while torturing him with a hammer, machete, and firearm, all the while threatening his life.
The victim, severely injured with fractured bones, internal bleeding, and kidney damage, managed to escape and get help, as stated in a DOJ press release.
He was treated at a local hospital for his injuries. This case highlighted the extreme lengths MS-13 will go to silence witnesses and obstruct justice in the United States.
“The defendant, an MS-13 member, kidnapped a former federal witness and tortured him with a machete, hammer, and gun,” stated Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
“This violence and obstruction of the American legal system exemplifies why MS-13 has been designated a foreign terrorist organization,” he added.
The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Robert E. McGuire, underscored the government’s commitment to protecting witnesses, declaring that the full force of federal law would be used to hold perpetrators accountable.
“If a witness is retaliated against, our office will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear,” McGuire affirmed.
Jason Stankiewicz, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Nashville ATF division, also commented on the seriousness of witness intimidation and retaliation.
He emphasized that “witness intimidation is a serious federal offense,” and that anyone retaliating against a government witness would be held fully accountable under the law.
After being apprehended by law enforcement, Santos-Recarte confessed to his role in the kidnapping, admitting to driving the truck used in the crime and helping others force the victim into the vehicle at gunpoint.
He also acknowledged his involvement in the assault on the victim. When arrested, he was found in possession of an assault rifle, further highlighting the dangerous nature of his criminal actions.
In December 2024, Santos-Recarte pleaded guilty to charges including kidnapping, retaliation against a federal witness, unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, and conspiracy.
Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be deported from the U.S.
The Department of Justice, alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which led the investigation, is dedicated to dismantling dangerous criminal organizations like MS-13.
The case also received support from the Metro Nashville Police Department. Prosecutors Matthew Hoff, Christopher Matthews, and Ahmed Safeeullah played key roles in securing the conviction.
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