AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — Several MS-13 members were taken into custody Tuesday during a raid by deputies and U.S. Marshals in Avery County, officials said.
Officials said law enforcement officers executed a high-risk warrant for Milton Portillo Rodriguez and Miguel Lopez-Abrego at an apartment in Banner Elk.
Authorities said Rodriguez and Abrego are wanted in connection with two separate murders near Baltimore.
Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frye said the two men hid in closets and under mattresses as police moved in.
Channel 9 asked Frye what the suspects were doing hiding out in Avery County.
"Basically, it's just a good place to lay low, hide out,” Frye said. “They didn't think there would be a whole lot of heat on them here. As I said before, they thought wrong."
Neighbors said they were stunned to see such a large police presence at their apartment complex, and even more surprised to learn that men wanted in connection with Baltimore murder investigations were living near where their children play.
"I'm personally glad that these guys are gone,” neighbor Julio Luque said. “There's little kids here. These guys have reputations of even murdering kids. These guys don't care. These guys are heartless."
"The reason we don't live in Baltimore is because we don't want all the crime and stuff that goes on there," resident Lois Pukansky said.
Officials said that cellphones and a laptop computer were among the items seized by deputies to pass along to investigators from Baltimore.
Frye said that the two men, who are originally from El Salvador, are in the United States illegally.
"If you're thinking about coming and being a part of a gang, we're gonna be hunting you just as hard as we can be," Frye said.
Officials said Rodriguez and Abrego are locked up at the Avery County Jail and are awaiting extradition back to Maryland.
Channel 9 has been told that a third arrest made at the apartments involving another MS-13 gang member is linked to a serious assault in Maryland.
All three men could be back in the Baltimore area by the end of this month, according to officials.
Reporter Dave Faherty will have a full report on the arrests on Eyewitness News, starting at 5:30 p.m.
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