Crime & Safety
MS-13 Members Charged With Murders, Drug Trafficking Across LI
The gang members were charged in connection to 3 murders across Long Island, the U.S. Attorney said.
CENTRAL ISLIP, NY - A total of 12 gang members were charged in connection to 3 murders and drug trafficking on Long Island, the U.S. Attorney's office announced on Thursday.
Five members of MS-13: 22-year-old Ruendy Jhonatan Hernandez-Vasquez, of Roosevelt and Freeport; 25-year-old Jhonny Contreras, of Brentwood; 26-year-old Reynaldo Lopez-Alvarado, of Brentwood; 22-year-old Jeffrey Amador, of Brentwood and 27-year-old Ronald Catalan, of Brentwood were all arraigned in court on Thursday morning before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco, the U.S. Attorney said.
Hernandez-Vasquez was charged in connection with the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo in Freeport, and a conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, the U.S. Attorney said.
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Four other gang members were already arrested in connection to the murder.
Contreras, Lopez-Alvarado and Amador, who were previously charged in connection with the November 19, 2015 murder of Cesar Rivera-Vasquez in Babylon, were additionally charged with racketeering offenses and related charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, the U.S. Attorney said.
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Catalan, who was previously arrested for a June 23, 2009 shooting in Brentwood was also additional charged with racketeering offenses and related charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, the U.S. Attorney said.
So far, MS-13 members have been charged with a total of 16 murders on Long Island.
In addition, INTERPOL issued a Red Notice for Hernandez-Vasquez relating to an arrest warrant for a murder he allegedly committed in El Salvador before he illegally entered the United States.
“The Suffolk County Police Department continues to work with all our partners and serves on the Long Island FBI Gang Task Force to eradicate MS-13,” Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. “This indictment sends another strong message to MS-13 members that their actions will not be tolerated and justice will be served.
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