For Immediate Release: October 5, 2007

FBI FUGITIVE TASK FORCE ARRESTS “MOST WANTED” FORMER CONGRESSMAN FROM EL SALVADOR IN ANAHEIM A man wanted by law enforcement authorities with the Nacional Civilian Police in El Salvador was arrested today by the FBI’s Inland Regional Apprehension Team (IRAT). Roberto Carlos Silva-Pereira, 33, of Jiquilisco, Usulutan, El Salvador, is a former congressman in El Salvador and has been charged by law enforcement authorities there with money laundering while in office, and with fleeing the country from justice. Silva-Pereira’s wife has also been charged with money laundering and is currently in the custody of law enforcement in El Salvador. Silva-Pereira fled El Salvador in March 2007 after being charged. At the request of the Salvadoran government, the FBI opened a foreign police-cooperation fugitive investigation. Agents with the IRAT Fugitive Task Force, working with Salvadoran law enforcement, the FBI’s Legal Attache in San Salvador, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), received information indicating Silva-Pereira might be residing in Orange County, California. After further investigation, agents and officers with IRAT located Silva-Pereira, who does not have legal immigration status in the United States, and took him into custody after a brief foot pursuit in Anaheim this afternoon. Silva-Pereira is being turned over to agents with ICE in Santa Ana this evening and will be placed in immigration removal proceedings. Silva-Pereira’s arrest is the result of a joint investigation by law enforcement authorities with the Policia Nacional Civil (Nacional Civilian Police) in El Salvador, the FBI’s Legal Attache in San Salvador and the FBI’s Fugitive Task Force known as IRAT. IRAT is comprised of officers and agents with the Riverside County Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino Police Department and the FBI’s Riverside Resident Agency within the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. Agents with ICE and officers with the Anaheim Police Department provided substantial assistance during today’s operation. CONTACT: FBI: Laura Eimiller: 310 996-3343 ICE: Virginia Kice: 949 337-9594 PNC Media Relations in El Salvador (Spanish Speaker): 0115037140 - 4949