Guilty Pleas Entered in NYC Teen Tragedy Linked to MS-13

Two MS-13 gang members plead guilty to the brutal murder of a New York City teen, spotlighting the dire impact of gang violence and the challenges facing law enforcement.

At a Glance

Two MS-13 gang members plead guilty to the murder of Andy Peralta in Queens, 2018.
The incident occurred during a mistaken-identity gang initiation.
One gang member took a selfie with Peralta’s body post-murder.
Multiple high-profile gang-related cases highlight ongoing issues with MS-13 violence.

Tragedy and Misidentity in Queens

Two MS-13 gang members, Juan Amaya-Ramirez and Oscar Flores-Mejia, pleaded guilty to the 2018 murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta in Queens. The murder, which occurred in Kissena Park, was part of a gang initiation and driven by mistaken identity, with gang members believing Peralta to be a member of a rival gang. This brutal act has brought renewed attention to the lethal influence of MS-13 in American communities.

Flores-Mejia and Amaya-Ramirez used social media to lure Peralta to the park. Amaya-Ramirez’s then-girlfriend, Leyla Carranza, played a key role in this deception. After the murder, Amaya-Ramirez took a shocking selfie with the deceased Peralta. Carranza has since pleaded guilty to cyberstalking resulting in Peralta’s death and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Two MS-13 Gang Members Sentenced for Murder Conspiracyhttps://t.co/2XbRf9M9yq pic.twitter.com/wARgTzbzEg

— Criminal Division (@DOJCrimDiv) November 9, 2023

Other High-Profile Cases

Meanwhile, attention has also been drawn to another high-profile case involving MS-13 member Walter Martinez. Martinez was allowed to enroll in a Maryland public high school despite being a suspect in the rape and murder of Kayla Hamilton, an autistic woman. This oversight by authorities and the resulting enrollment have led to a lawsuit demanding $100 million in damages from the federal government.

“It’s the worst pain that a parent can ever get,” Hamilton’s mother, Tammy Nobles, lamented in an interview. “To say that Alexi Saenz’s hands are drenched in blood does not begin to describe the multiple killings and extreme mayhem he personally directed and committed in the span of one year in Suffolk County,” added U.S. Attorney Breon Peace.

Continued Legal and Community Impact

Additionally, high-ranking MS-13 member Alexi Saenz, also known as “Blasty” and “Big Homie,” recently pleaded guilty to racketeering charges involving eight murders. Among the victims were Long Island teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, whose murders in 2016 drew national attention. Their parents were invited to the 2018 State of the Union by then-President Trump, highlighting the national repercussions of MS-13’s violence.

“Saenz’s hands are drenched in blood,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace remarked. “While those murders and violent crimes were intended to further the sordid mission of the MS-13, the defendant has failed miserably.”

Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty for Alexi and his brother Jairo Saenz, but this was later dropped by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2023. Saenz admitted to ordering or approving multiple killings of perceived rivals and those disrespecting his clique. This admission has led to his guilty plea on numerous charges, including arson, firearms offenses, and drug trafficking.

“It is my sincere hope that today’s guilty plea brings some measure of solace and closure to the families of his victims,” concluded Peace.

Community Responds to Ongoing Threat

The murders of Cuevas and Mickens led to a crackdown that resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspected MS-13 members. Evelyn Rodriguez, Cuevas’s mother, became an anti-gang activist but was tragically killed in 2018. Law enforcement continues to grapple with the systemic issues posed by MS-13, aiming to bring lasting peace to communities long plagued by their violence.

“To say that Alexi Saenz’s hands are drenched in blood does not begin to describe the multiple killings and extreme mayhem he personally directed and committed in the span of one year in Suffolk County,” remarked U.S. attorney Breon Peace.

The families of the victims expressed mixed feelings about the death penalty being taken off the table, with some feeling relief at avoiding a trial. As the community continues to process these events, public safety measures and gang-prevention efforts remain paramount.