Last Updated on March 26, 2022 2:45 pm
The Avery County Special Response Team (SRT) in conjunction and cooperation with the United States Marshals Service executed a high risk fugitive apprehension in the Banner Elk area of Avery County this morning.
Taken into custody was Milton A. Portillo-Rodriguez, a known and verified MS13 gang member from Maryland area. Portillo-Rodriguez is wanted for a murder which occurred on June 24, 2017 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Portillo-Rodriguez is 22 years old and was born in El Salvador. He is awaiting extradition proceedings to be taken back to stand trial for his crimes. Portillo-Rodriguez is currently being held in Avery County Jail without bond until his initial hearing on 11/09/2017.
“Everything went as planned this morning and we were able to take a really bad guy off the streets who thought that he could hide in our rural community, he thought wrong” stated Sheriff Kevin Frye of Avery County.
