MS-13 gang member pleads guilty to 7 killings on Long Island
LONG ISLAND - A high-ranking member of an MS-13 clique in New York pleaded guilty Tuesday to racketeering and other federal charges in a case involving seven slayings, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls that focused the nation’s attention on the violent Central American street gang.
Gang's brutal impact on Long Island
What we know:
Jairo Saenz, 28, also known by the nickname "funny," entered his guilty plea in federal court in Central Islip. He admitted to participating in seven murders, including the 2016 brutal killings of two Brentwood High School students, Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas, who were attacked with a machete and a baseball bat.
Saenz faces 40 to 60 years in prison under a plea agreement, with sentencing scheduled for June 13.
A reward poster hangs on a telephone pole near the local high school, asking for help in finding the killers of Nisa Mickens and Kayl Cuevas June 7, 2017 in Brentwood, New York. The town of Brentwood on New York's Long Island may look like an oasis o
Saenz, originally from El Salvador, was the second-in-command of the MS-13 clique "Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside," operating in Brentwood and Central Islip. His brother, Alexi Saenz, the clique leader, previously pleaded guilty to similar charges and is awaiting sentencing.
The backstory:
MS-13, a notoriously violent Central American gang, has been linked to dozens of murders on Long Island over the past decade.
Prosecutors say the Saenz brothers ordered and approved killings of rivals and others to gain power in the gang hierarchy and boost the clique's reputation. Victims ranged from teenagers to adults, with guns, machetes and baseball bats used to carry out the killings.
BRENTWOOD, NY - MARCH 29: Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) ICE agents frisk a suspected MS-13 gang member and Honduran immigrant after arresting him at his home on March 29, 2018 in Brentwood, New York. Overnight and into the morning federal ag
Among the other victims were Javier Castillo, 15, who was lured to a park and killed with machetes, and Dewann Stacks, 34, who was beaten to death while walking along a road in Brentwood. Saenz also pleaded guilty to three attempted murders, arson, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses.
Families disappointed with plea deal
What they're saying:
Family members of the victims expressed mixed feelings about the plea deal.
"It was some justice, but not what I wanted," said George Johnson, the father of 29-year-old Michael Johnson, who was bludgeoned and stabbed to death in Brentwood in 2016. "At least he’s not out in the street to hurt anybody else."
Elizabeth Alvarado lamented that her daughter, Nisa Mickens, was just a day shy of her 16th birthday when she met a similar fate in September 2016.
"That really hurt because she had so many dreams," her mother said outside the courthouse. "She wanted to be a veterinarian. She wanted to be a nurse like me and her dad. There’s just so many things that I’m missing out on."
Acting U.S. Attorney Carolyn Pokorny said in a statement that Saenz took part in "barbaric, and multiple acts of senseless gang violence that had turned parts of Long Island into a war zone" with MS-13 gang members "wielding guns, machetes, bats and fire" in their reign of terror.
"It is my sincere hope that today’s guilty plea brings some measure of solace and closure to the families of the defendant’s victims who continue to mourn the deaths of their loved ones," she added.
Big picture view:
The case drew national attention, with former President Donald Trump highlighting the gang’s violence as a consequence of immigration policies. Trump called for the death penalty for Saenz and others involved during his presidency.
The Saenz brothers' convictions are part of broader efforts to dismantle MS-13’s influence on Long Island.
What's next:
Saenz will be sentenced on June 13. His brother, Alexi Saenz, is also expected to be sentenced later this month.
The Source: This article uses information from The Associated Press.