The Justice Division seeks to drop its prison case in opposition to a Virginia man accused of being the “East Coast chief” of the MS-13 gang, weeks after Lawyer Common Pam Bondi introduced his arrest in a nationally televised press convention final month.
Bondi referred to Henrry Villatoro Santos as “one of many high members and head of the East Coast” of the violent MS-13 gang throughout a March 27 information convention in Manassas, Virginia. She additionally accused Villatoro Santos of being liable for “very violent crimes, something you’ll be able to affiliate with MS-13. He was the chief over it — the entire violent crimes.”
In a courtroom submitting Wednesday in Alexandria, Virginia, the U.S. legal professional for the Japanese District of Virginia requested a choose “to dismiss with out prejudice the prison criticism presently pending in opposition to the defendant.” When requested why the federal government was shifting to drop the case, a spokesperson for Bondi responded with a clip of Bondi saying on March 27 that Villatoro Santos “will not be on this nation for much longer.”
Henry Villatoro Santos
Alexandria Sheriff’s Workplace
Two sources aware of the matter advised CBS Information the division is prone to search to deport Villatoro Santos.
“As a terrorist, he’ll now face the elimination course of,” Bondi mentioned in an announcement following CBS Information’ reporting.
Any determination to deport Villatoro-Santos with out first securing a prison conviction on the crimes alleged by Bondi would break historic precedent, based on two former Justice Division officers who spoke with CBS Information.
Scott Fredericksen, a former federal prosecutor, advised CBS Information, “Traditionally and persistently, if somebody really is a frontrunner of a violent gang, we might at all times prosecute them first and convict them first — and ensure they can not get again into the nation.”
Charging paperwork filed in opposition to Villatoro Santos final month made solely a fleeting reference to his alleged affiliation to MS-13. The charging paperwork mentioned, “FBI brokers and (process power officers) additionally noticed indicia of MS-13 affiliation within the storage bed room” of Villatoro Santos’ house. He was charged with one rely of illegal possession of a firearm and was ordered detained by a Justice of the Peace choose, pending future hearings.
On the March 27 information convention, Virginia Gov. Glenn Younkin additionally appeared and referred to Villatoro-Santos as “One of many high operatives in MS-13.”
A protection lawyer didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
Extra from CBS Information
Scott MacFarlane
