Two LI Gang Members Plead Guilty To Murder And Assault

Two Long Island members of the Outlaws street gang pleaded guilty to murder and assault charges on Friday for the 2013 death of a rival gang member and shootings as part of a gang war that it sparked.

Pedro Merchant, aka Dro, 25, of Valley Stream, pleaded guilty to the Sept. 11, 2013 murder of rival gang member Dante Quinones, 17, in Hempstead. Alton Gore, aka A-Murder, 27, of Hempstead, pleaded guilty to shooting and injuring two rival gang members during the gang war that Quinones' murder sparked in Hemsptead.

“Merchant’s actions violently ended one life, while Gore attempted to take several others,” said United States Attorney Richard Donoghue. “This type of brazen violence in the name of their gang puts entire communities in danger. Today’s guilty pleas hold these defendants accountable for their crimes and demonstrate the commitment of this office and our law enforcement partners to remove gangs from the streets of Long Island.”

According to prosecutors, in 2013, Merchant and other Outlaws gang members approached the 17-year-old Quinones to determine if his allegiance was to the Outlaws or to their rival gang, the Bloods. Merchant pulled out a pistol and shot Quinones several times at close range, killing him.

Quinones's murder sparked a gang war between the Outlaws and the Bloods in Hempstead. Over the next year, there were several shootings between the two gangs, many of which involved Gore. On Sept. 14, 2014, Gore and two other Outlaw members, staked out a home where they knew Bloods members were watching a boxing match. Gore and the other gang members fired into the home multiple times. Gore struck one person in the leg and another in the head, causing them to lose an eye.

“In the midst of their declared war on a rival gang, these members of the Outlaws put innocent people’s lives in danger,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners work every day on investigations targeting these violent criminals, and we will continue until we stop the illegal activity.”

Both Merchant and Gore are facing a minimum sentence of 10 years in jail, and could face a maximum sentence of life behind bars.

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