Prosecutors have ‘rendered MS-13 inoperable’ in Suffolk County, New York.
The notorious MS-13 street gang in Suffolk County, New York, has been declared “inoperable,” law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Authorities plan to announce at a Friday afternoon press conference charges against 96 MS-13 gang members and associates in what’s described as the largest take down of the violent street gang in New York State history.
The two-year multi-agency investigation has thwarted seven alleged murder plots, prosecutors said.
Originally founded in Southern California by gang members from El Salvador, MS-13, known in Spanish as La Mara Salvatrucha, has been accused in recent years of brutal murders and assaults on eastern Long Island.
The “operation has dealt significant blow to MS-13 leadership in Long Island,” according to the media advisory sent by a spokeswoman for Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini.
MS-13 tried to establish an East Coast base and has wreaked havoc throughout the county. Their violence in Long Island included the 2016 murders of 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas and 15-year-old Nisa Mickens, which drew the attention of President Donald Trump.
“They kidnap, they extort, they rape and they rob. They prey on children, they shouldn’t be here,” Trump said when he visited Suffolk County in July 2017. “It’s time for every member of M-S-13 to be in fear. Look over their shoulder. Look in their rear view mirror, because ICE and its partners are comin’ hard, and we’re comin’ strong.”
Brothers Alexi and Jairo Saenz were charged in the connection to six murders, including of Cuevas and Micken. If convicted, they both face up to life in prison or the death penalty — which was reinstated in July 2019 by U.S. Attorney William Barr after a 15-year moratorium on executions.
In the expected announcement, authorities also plan to reveal how they learned MS-13 was trying to replenish its depleted ranks by asking gang members in other states to come to Suffolk County.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
