Last Updated on November 6, 2017 12:54 pm
*Press Release from Avery County Sheriff's Office*
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 on Saturday November 4, 2017.
Taken into custody was Milton A. Portillo-Rodriguez, a known and verified MS13 gang member from Maryland area for murder. During the apprehension of Portillo-Rodriguez, Miguel A. Lopez-Abrego (also known as Miguel A. Lopez-Herrera) was arrested for resist-obstruct-or delay an officer. An investigation of Lopez-Abrego has found he is wanted in a murder in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Avery County Sheriff’s Office has issued fugitive warrants for Lopez-Abrego for the murder in Montgomery County and is cooperating and assisting detectives from that jurisdiction. Miguel A. Lopez-Abrego is also a known and verified MS-13 gang member.
This is the second arrest of an MS-13 gang member in Avery County for murder. These two murders were not connected and were separate incidents. Miguel Lopez-Abrego is 18 years of age and is from El Salvador.
