Federal judge frees MS-13 member wanted for 2014 Salvadoran murder despite extradition warrant
Judge Jinsook Ohta ordered the release of David Antonio Aviles Perez, an MS-13 operative wanted in El Salvador for aggravated murder, from ICE detention.
David Antonio Aviles Perez, a 35-year-old MS-13 member known as “la bruja,” was captured by ICE agents in San Diego in April on an international warrant for aggravated murder in El Salvador. He had earlier been arrested in 2023 for swinging a machete at a man in Monterey and was released under California’s sanctuary statutes. Federal Judge Jinsook Ohta ordered his release from a Southern California ICE facility, stating he could only be held if authorities prove he is a community danger or flight risk at a bail hearing.
The ruling drew sharp rebuke from an anonymous federal law-enforcement official, who accused “activist judges” of endangering public safety. Aviles Perez had been sentenced in absentia in El Salvador to 20 years for a 2014 execution of a rival gang member. The case coincided with a similar release of Luis Valle, another Salvadoran gang affiliate, by Judge Linda Lopez. Critics argue the decisions expose gaps in immigration enforcement and sanctuary policies.
Why it matters
The release raises concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of U.S. immigration and sanctuary policies.
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