DOWNTOWN — A federal jury in Brooklyn returned guilty verdicts against four national MS-13 leaders following a 10-week trial before United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall. When sentenced, each defendant faces a mandatory term of life in prison.
The defendants, Edenilson Velasquez Larin, also known as “Agresor,” Saturno,” “Tiny” and “Paco”; Hugo Diaz Amaya, also known as “21”; Fulton Locos Salvatruchas clique leader Jose Espinoza Sanchez, also known as “Cable,” “Bleca” and “Fantasma”; and Fulton member Jose Arevalao Iraheta, also known as “Splinter,” “Inesperado” and “Daniel” were convicted on 24 counts of a third superseding indictment.
Specifically, Velasquez Larin was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to sell cocaine and marijuana, continuing criminal enterprise, money laundering conspiracy, four counts of murder in aid of racketeering and two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering, as well as additional murder conspiracies and firearms offenses.
Velasquez Larin was involved in the murder of Kenny Reyes, Victor Alvarenga, Eric Monge and Oswaldo Gutierrez Medrano. They were between the ages of 18 and 25.
Diaz Amaya was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, murder and conspiracy to murder of Gutierrez Medrano in aid of racketeering.
Espinoza Sanchez was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to sell cocaine and marijuana, money laundering conspiracy, three counts of murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and additional murder conspiracies and firearms offenses.
Espinoza Sanchez was involved in the murders of Reyes, Alvarenga and Monge with Velasquez Larin.
Arevalo Iraheta was convicted of racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to sell cocaine and marijuana, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, shooting Monge to death, as well as additional murder conspiracies and firearms offenses.
He was involved in Gutierrez Medrano’s murder with Velasquez Larin and Diaz Amaya.
Reyes and Gutierrez Medrano were killed with a machete. Victor Alvarenga was shot to death.
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr., FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia, New York Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch announced the verdict.
“With [this] verdict, four extremely dangerous MS-13 members have been brought to justice for racketeering crimes, including murder, and now, deservedly, face mandatory life sentences,” stated Nocella. “Two of the defendants were national MS-13 leaders who were responsible for authorizing murders on behalf of the gang across the country, and each of the defendants participated in heinous murders, including some in which victims were hacked to death and dismembered.”
Nocella thanked the Nassau County Police Department and the Suffolk County Police Department for their investigative work.
“These defendants orchestrated and facilitated the cold-blooded murders of four perceived rivals to simply increase their own social standing,” Raia added. “Their propensity for extreme violence and their depravity of human life threatened the safety of anyone who crossed their path.”
Patel said convicting the gang members marked significant progress towards dismantling the organization. “No stone will be left unturned in our relentless pursuit of justice for the victims of MS-13.”
