Executive Summary
- Walter Ceron Linares was arrested in Shelby Township, Michigan, after presenting a Salvadoran ID during a traffic stop.
- Police records checks identified Linares as a suspected MS-13 member listed on the FBI terrorist watch list.
- Linares was transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody for deportation processing.
A suspected member of the MS-13 gang listed on the FBI’s terrorist watch list was taken into federal custody following a routine traffic stop in Shelby Township, Michigan, according to local authorities.
The Shelby Township Police Department reported that an officer initiated the stop near West Utica Road and Dequindre Road at approximately 12:13 p.m. on Friday. During the encounter, the driver, identified as Walter Ceron Linares, presented an identification card from El Salvador to the responding officer.
A subsequent records check flagged Linares as a potential member of a terrorist organization, prompting officers to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the police report, federal agents confirmed that Linares was a suspected member of the transnational criminal gang MS-13 and was currently listed on the agency’s terrorist watch list.
Linares was taken into custody without incident. He was subsequently transferred to the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents stationed in Detroit. Chief Patrol Agent John R. Morris confirmed via a social media statement that Linares will be processed for deportation proceedings.
Shelby Township Chief of Police Robert J. Shelide stated, “Our top priority is keeping Shelby Township safe. We work every day to identify and stop individuals involved in violent crime, organized criminal activity, or any threat of terrorism before it reaches our community.”
Interagency Cooperation and Border Security
This incident highlights the operational significance of real-time information sharing between local law enforcement and federal databases such as the FBI’s terrorist watch list. The rapid identification and detention of a suspected MS-13 affiliate demonstrate the integrated protocols utilized to monitor transnational criminal organizations operating within the interior of the United States. Following the transfer to federal custody, the focus shifts to immigration enforcement and deportation procedures overseen by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
