MS-13 gang member arrest in Winston-Salem
A high-ranking member of the notorious MS-13 gang member has been apprehended in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after evading law enforcement for over a year.
Josue Zepeda-Padilla, an illegal immigrant with a history of deportation, was arrested on March 5, 2025, by the U.S. Marshals Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, with support from the Winston-Salem Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO).
Zepeda-Padilla had been on the run since January 2024 after being indicted in Suffolk County, New York, for first-degree gang assault and second-degree kidnapping. Authorities say he was involved in the brutal assault and abduction of a 15-year-old victim. Following an extensive investigation, law enforcement tracked him to Winston-Salem, where they executed his arrest.
Upon locating him at a residence on Gilmer Avenue, officers reported that Zepeda-Padilla attempted to flee through the attic. His escape plan failed when he crashed through the ceiling into a neighboring home, where a family, including children, was present. He was immediately taken into custody and is now being held at the Forsyth County Detention Center, awaiting extradition to New York.
U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of North Carolina, Catrina Thompson, emphasized the dedication of law enforcement agencies, stating, “The United States Marshals Service is committed to locating and apprehending violent fugitives across our nation.” Similarly, Vincent F. DeMarco, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of New York, called the arrest a “critical victory in our ongoing effort to bring violent fugitives to justice.”
MS-13 gang member arrest in Winston-Salem, also known as La Mara Salvatrucha, is a violent transnational gang with a significant presence in various parts of the U.S., including North Carolina. Authorities have linked members of the gang to previous arrests in Charlotte and Salisbury in connection with crimes originating in New York.
