Sini Launches New 'Laser Focused' Gang Unit

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — New Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini has a message for deadly gang members: "If you don't like the inside of a cell think about another way of life because law enforcement, from local police departments to the federal government and every member of the public, are coming for you."

Sini, joined by a full contingent of federal, state, county, and local law enforcement, held a press conference in Hauppauge Wednesday to announce a new gang unit in the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office's new, enhanced prosecution bureau.

The gang unit, he said, will be comprised of attorneys and investigators dedicated to prosecuting all crimes committed by gang members in Suffolk County, using a multi-pronged strategy with a focus on collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement partners.

The new gang unit, he said, will be "laser focused" on prosecuting gang members, including the violent MS-13 street gang.

Surrounded by Suffolk County law enforcement agencies, Sini said, "Collectively, these law enforcement agencies have stood tall on the front lines of our fight against gangs in Suffolk County. Unfortunately, for too long, the Suffolk County DA did not provide the leadership needed to bring that fight to the next level. That ends today."

Sini said his administration would be "ending that era."

The new gang unit would rely upon partnerships with every single Suffolk County law enforcement agency to lead the fight prosecute MS-13 and other gang members.

The new gang unit, Sini said, will consist of a full time supervisor, eight additional assistant district attorneys, and six detective investigators dedicated solely to investigating and prosecuting gang members; a bilingual, Spanish speaking ADA will also be onboard, he said.

The unit will be trained extensively by gang experts "to be on the cutting edge of gang prosecutions," Sini said. A highly trained ADA gang specialist will be on call 24/7 to assist all law enforcement agencies, so that whenever a gang member is arrested, law enforcement can call a gang expert for guidance and support, he said.

"This is in stark contrast to how things were being done prior to my administration," Sini said. Previously, if a gang member committed an offense, different bureaus handled different crimes; felonies and misdemeanors were handled by different bureaus based on the nature and severity of the crimes and sometimes, the case changed hands, "resulting in a lack of coordination and less than optimal results," Sini said. The prior system led to "gang members bouncing through the cracks," Sini said.

The new gang unit, he added, will be focused on the targeted and strategic prosecution necessary to reduce and eradicate violent street gangs.

"Our motivation to do this is embodied by Evelyn Rodriguez. She lost her daughter to gang violence," Sini said. President Donald Trump, in his State of the Union, also spoke to Rodriguez and the other parents of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, who died due to deadly MS-13 gang violence, Trump said.

"We owe it to Evelyn, her family, and all the other victims of gang violence to step up our game, coordinate our resources, and get the job done," Sini said.

The goal is to empower ADAs to build strong cases against criminals and prosecute gang members to the fullest extent of the law, keeping streets safe, Sini said.

The gang unit, he added, will be the "sole proprietor" of gang related prosecutions; any gang member charged with a gang related offense or a non-gang related crime, including domestic violence, petty larceny or drug offenses, will be prosecuted by the same unit.

By assigning ADAs to focus exclusively on gang cases, those individuals will become experts on gangs operating in Suffolk County and on specific members, Sini said, "tirelessly working to combat the evil that works in violent street gangs like MS-13"

While the county, like many other agencies operate in a "permanent state of fiscal scarcity." But by teaming up and working collectively, "We have an unprecedented force of good that's up to the challenge and has the ability to win this battle against evil," he said.

Plans include a bi-weekly meeting with all law enforcement in conjunction with Suffolk County Police, he said.

So far, he added, SCPD, since Sept. 2016, has made more than 350 MS-13 arrests. Partnerships with new Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. and other agencies are critical, he said.

"This is an exciting time for Suffolk County criminal justice," Sini said.

Also, he said, cases will be prosecuted federally and locally, with ADAs and U.S. attorneys working together to target gang members. "This is an enormous shift in paradigm," Sini said. "In the past oftentimes personal relationships, egos, and turf battles got in the way of effective law enforcement. Those days are over."

And perhaps the most important partner, he said, is the people of Suffolk County.

He unveiled a new "Wanted" program to provide cash rewards up to $5,000 for tips that lead to the arrest of a gang member. Those with information are asked to call 1-800-220-TIPS anonymously.

"In sum," he said, we are going to do our best to coordinate and collaborate to bring the fight against gangs to a whole new level. A lot of progress has been made since Sept., 2016, but a lot o work needs still to be done. Today is a huge step forward in our fight against violent street gangs like MS-13."

Patch courtesy photos.