MS-13 Member Found Guilty For 2017 Fatal Deli Shooting

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - An MS-13 gang member was found guilty on Thursday for the 2017 fatal shooting at a Central Islip deli and a 2016 assault in Brentwood, according to the U.S. attorney.

Jose Suarez, of Central Islip, was convicted of racketeering, murder, assault and related conspiracy, firearms and accessory after the fact charges in connection with the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla and the shooting of a female employee at the deli as well as the December 18, 2016 assault of a man outside a restaurant in Brentwood.

When sentenced, the 24-year-old faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

The evidence at trial established that in 2017, a member of the Sailors clique saw Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli and believing that he was a rival gang member, the MS-13 members devised a plan to kill him.

As part of the plan, Suarez drove MS-13 member Mario Aguilar-Lopez and another associate to a street near the deli and parked.

The associate entered the deli and confirmed that Alvarado-Bonilla was there.

Aguilar-Lopez then entered the deli, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind and shot him multiple times, killing him.

One of the bullets traveled through Alvarado-Bonilla’s head and struck a female employee of the deli who was standing directly in front of him in the chest.

Aguilar-Lopez ran out of the deli and back to the car where Suarez was waiting, and the two then fled the scene.

The store employee was taken to a local hospital for treatment and survived.

Aguilar-Lopez pleaded guilty to the murder of Alvarado-Bonilla and wounding of the female deli employee, and is awaiting sentencing.

In addition, evidence at trial established that in 2016 Suarez and several other MS-13 members and associates assaulted two men outside the Super Taco restaurant in Brentwood, seriously injuring one of the men.

The victims were attacked because one of them had disrespected the MS-13.

"MS-13 attacks, assaults and murders simply to be as violent as they can," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney said. "The gang members associated with this case and Mr. Suarez didn’t give a second thought to the life they took, the harm they caused or the terror they created in a community."