MS-13 leaders found guilty of murder and racketeering following federal trial in Brooklyn.

Four members of the notorious MS-13 gang have been found guilty of multiple violent crimes, including racketeering, drug trafficking, and four gruesome murders that took place in Queens and Long Island. A jury delivered the verdict after a comprehensive two-and-a-half month trial at the Brooklyn Federal Court, leading to mandatory life sentences for the defendants.

The gang members sentenced include Edenilson Velasquez Larin, also known as “Tiny” and “Agresor,” who led the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas clique, and Hugo Diaz Amaya, known as “21,” who headed the Park View Locos Salvatruchas clique. Both were part of “La Mesa,” a leadership table that oversees various MS-13 factions across the United States. Alongside them, Jose Espinoza Sanchez, 26, and Jose Arevalao Iraheta, also known as “Cable” and “Splinter,” were convicted in connection to the violent acts during the trial.

The charges stemmed from a series of brutal murders that were characterized by savage violence. The murder of 18-year-old Kenny Reyes on May 23, 2016, is particularly notable; according to prosecutors, Reyes was lured to a wooded area under the pretense of recreational drug use, only to be dismembered by Velasquez Larin and others, who believed Reeves was affiliated with a rival gang.

Another victim, Victor Alvarenga, was targeted in 2018 after his alleged cooperation with law enforcement in El Salvador came to light. Espinoza Sanchez and several other gang members followed Alvarenga for hours before fatally shooting him outside his home.

In a further act of violence, Velasquez Larin sanctioned the killing of Eric Monge, a member of a different clique, resulting in Monge being ambushed in September 2020. The severity and brutality of these actions paint a grim picture of the gang’s operations and internal dynamics.

Additionally, in February 2022, the defendants orchestrated the murder of 20-year-old Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano, a fellow MS-13 member. His killing was reportedly linked to a need for retribution within the gang after one of its members had killed rival gang members without permission. Gutierrez Medrano was falsely promised a promotion within the ranks before being brutally attacked and dismembered.

The federal prosecution emphasized the significant threat posed by MS-13, with U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella declaring that the gang members’ convictions were a critical victory for public safety. Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall conducted the trial and has previously overseen other significant cases related to MS-13 activities, underlining the judicial system’s escalating focus on dismantling gang violence in the region. This ruling is expected to be a decisive factor in the ongoing efforts to combat gang-related crime and enhance community safety.

These convictions reflect broader law enforcement initiatives aimed at addressing gang-related violence and crime in urban areas, which continue to be a pressing concern for many communities across the United States.