Alleged MS-13 Member Indicted For Brutal Machete Murder

On Thursday, a second alleged MS-13 member was indicted on charges connected to the murder of a man in the Massapequa Preserve in 2016.

Raul Ponce, 21, of Hempstead was indicted for second-degree murder. He is due back in court on Sept. 10. If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison.

“I am committed to bringing all of the members of MS-13 who have brutally murdered people in Nassau County to justice,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “This indictment is another step that we are taking with our law enforcement partners to bring closure to victims’ families and to eradicate MS-13 violence from Nassau County.”

On Aug. 23, 2016, Bryan Steven Cho Lemus, who MS-13 thought was an enemy of the gang, was walking his dog on Aruthur Street in Uniondale, Singas said, when he was lured to the Massapequa Preserve with the promise of a party with drugs and sex. Once in the park, Singas said that Ponce killed Lemus with a machete.

Lemus's body was found in a shallow grave on May 24, 2019.

Ponce was also charged in the murder of Julio Cesar Gonzales-Espantzay, who authorities say was also killed and buried in the Massapequa Preserve.

Ponce as arrested on Jun 6. A second alleged gang member, Gerson Stanley Juarez, aka Angel Black, was also arrested and charged in connection with the murder. Singas said there are others that have yet to be arrested for the crime.

Juarez was arraigned on Aug. 15.