PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Federal authorities have arrested a high-ranking MS-13 leader in Hyattsville, Maryland, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials on Monday.
ICE and the FBI took David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman, 27, into custody on Feb. 27 in Hyattsville.
Officials said Orellana, a Salvadoran national, is wanted in his home country on charges of firearm possession, extortion, and terrorist affiliation.
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“The apprehension of David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman strikes a significant blow to the leadership and organization of the MS-13 terrorist organization,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Matthew Elliston. “This arrest speaks volumes about the cooperation enjoyed between ICE and the FBI. We will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our communities.”
ICE described Orellana as a high-ranking leader who played a key role in the gang’s operations by controlling “the operation of MS-13 cliques in the United States, Mexico, and Europe.”
Authorities said Orellana was first arrested in El Salvador on Dec. 1, 2016, and charged as a documented member of MS-13.
At an unknown date and location, ICE said he entered the U.S. illegally before being arrested in Prince George’s County in December 2024 for driving without a license.
FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno said the arrest makes Maryland safer.
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“Maryland is immediately safer because of this arrest. Working together, we took custody of one of the highest-ranking gang members in the United States,” said DelBagno. “David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman is no longer in his alleged position of power directing violence. His arrest demonstrates the success we can have when we collectively investigate and disrupt violent criminals seeking to exploit our communities.”
Orellana remains in ICE custody following his arrest.