We’ve got a significant update in the fight against international crime that’s making headlines.
U.S. immigration officials have just arrested a Peruvian gang leader wanted for nearly two dozen murders in his home country. This arrest highlights the ongoing challenges and risks posed by international criminals crossing the U.S. border illegally.
The individual in question is Gianfranco Torres-Navarro, a 38-year-old gang leader who was apprehended in Endicott, New York. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made the announcement on Thursday, confirming that Torres-Navarro is being held at a federal detention facility near Buffalo as he awaits an immigration hearing.
So, how did Torres-Navarro end up in the U.S.? According to authorities, he illegally crossed the Texas-Mexico border on May 16. He was initially arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Roma, Texas, the same day he crossed, but was released into the U.S. with a notice to appear for immigration proceedings. It wasn’t until almost two months later that federal authorities discovered his violent history—learning that he was wanted in Peru for 23 murders.
The story gets even more disturbing. Torres-Navarro allegedly fled Peru after being involved in the killing of retired police officer Cesar Quegua Herrera at a restaurant in San Miguel this past March. Peruvian media reports that Torres-Navarro is the leader of a gang known as “Los Killers de Ventanilla y Callao,” which has a reputation for using violence to eliminate rivals in its core business of extorting construction companies.
The arrest operation didn’t just stop with Torres-Navarro. ICE agents also apprehended his girlfriend, Mishelle Sol Ivanna Ortíz Ubillús, who was arrested alongside him on Wednesday. Ortíz Ubillús is no small player in this scenario either.
Peruvian authorities describe her as Torres-Navarro’s right-hand woman, playing a prominent role in the gang as his lieutenant and cashier. Interestingly, she’s also quite active on social media, particularly TikTok, where she flaunts a lavish lifestyle that includes designer clothes, resort vacations, and time spent at shooting ranges.
Thomas Brophy, the director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE’s Buffalo field office, emphasized the importance of this arrest, stating that Torres-Navarro poses a “significant threat to our communities.” He made it clear that New York will not be a safe haven for dangerous noncitizens. “Well done by our ERO Buffalo officers who brought this individual into custody,” Brophy said in a statement provided to Fox News.
As for Ortíz Ubillús, she’s being held at a processing center in Pennsylvania, according to ICE’s Online Detainee Locator System. With her influential role in “Los Killers,” her arrest is a significant blow to the gang’s operations.
