MS-13 Member Charged In Massapequa Preserve Slaying: Police

A man whom Nassau County police say is an MS-13 member was arrested and charged with the slaying of teen whose body was recently recovered in the Massapequa Preserve.

Stanley Gerson Juarez, 22, of Hempstead, was arrested in connection with the case. Just yesterday, police identified the remains that were found in the park as Bryan Steven Cho Lemus, 18, of Uniondale. Juarez is charged with second-degree murder. If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison.

Lemus went missing on Aug. 24, 2016, which is when they believe that Juarez killed him at the preserve. Police said that Lemus associated with gang members, who decided that he was an enemy of their group. He knew his attackers, police said, and was lured to the preserve where he was killed.

Juarez was also one of three MS-13 members who pleaded guilty in January to a 2016 attack in Hempstead Lake State Park that injured three teens. Juarez was already in jail for that attack when he was charged with Lemus's murder.

"MS-13 does not belong in Nassau County," said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. "And we will make sure these barbarians are behind bars."

At a press conference announcing the arrest, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that MS-13 committed 12 murders in the county between 2016 and 2017, and that seven of the bodies were buried in shallow graves. Lemus was the last body to be recovered, and was the last body police were looking for.

Ryder said that 25 arrests have been made, and that more are coming. Ryder said that police are expecting to charge more people in the death of Lemus as the investigation continues.