The Department of Justice announced Tuesday (August 12, 2025) that Mexico has turned over 26 fugitives, including a gang member wanted in connection to the murder of a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy.
LASD Deputy Juan Abel Escalante, 27, was killed outside his parents’ home in Los Angeles on August 2, 2008.
One suspect confessed to being the shooter and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Multiple other gang members were involved in the murder, including Robert Salazar.
Salazar fled to Mexico after the murder and was returned to the U.S. Tuesday.
Other fugitives turned over to U.S. federal authorities on Tuesday included leaders and managers of drug cartels, such as those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Cártel del Noreste (formerly Los Zetas).
The 26 fugitives turned over Tuesday face charges relating to drug-trafficking, hostage-taking, kidnapping, illegal use of firearms, human smuggling, money laundering, and other crimes.
“Today is the latest example of the Trump administration's historic efforts to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organizations,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “These 26 men have all played a role in bringing violence and drugs to American shores -- under this Department of Justice, they will face severe consequences for their crimes against this country. We are grateful to Mexico’s National Security team for their collaboration in this matter.”
Bondi thanked the law enforcement officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department for their valuable contributions to these investigations.
The Attorney General also thanked the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, as well as the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Alaska, District of Arizona, Southern District of California, District of Columbia, District of Colorado, Middle District of North Carolina, District of Delaware, Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Illinois, District of Massachusetts, District of New Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, District of South Carolina, Eastern District of Virginia, Northern District of Texas, Eastern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas and Los Angeles County for handling the prosecutions of these cases. The Attorney General also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs which provided critical assistance in securing the transfer of these fugitives to the United States to face justice.
