Senate Passes Legislation Targeting MS-13, Gang Violence

The New York State Senate passed legislation on Monday that looks to crack down on the behavior of gangs throughout New York, including the street gang MS-13 that is suspected of causing at least 11 deaths in the past year.

The “Criminal Street Gang Enforcement and Prevention Act" will allow the state to better prosecute gang violence and prevent recruitment using community outreach.

The rise of MS-13 shows a need for a more comprehensive method of targeting gangs, the Senate said. The gang received national attention in April after it was believed to be responsible for the four young men found slain in a Central Islip park.

The bodies were found just a few miles from where police say MS-13 gang members killed numerous people, including Brentwood High School students Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas last year.

Brooklyn Sen. Martin Golden, who sponsored the bill, called for stricter penalties and educational programs to help reduce gang violence in New York State. "We must not only work to prevent the formation of gangs, but we should penalize them, track them, and educate them so the dangers they cause on our streets can be eliminated," he said in a press release.

The legislation looks to:

• Give prosecutors more options when charging offenders by legally defining criminal street gangs in New York’s penal statutes. The Senate believes this will help law enforcement better track gangs. Penalties will also be increased and new felonies will be created for anyone suspected of participating or benefiting from gang activity and gang recruitment.
• Establish a Criminal Street Gang Prevention Fund to prevent and deter gang crime through services provided by not-for-profit organizations. This fund would be funded partially through forfeited assets obtained following convictions for gang activity.
• Implement a model curriculum at schools that focuses on gang violence prevention. State Division Criminal Justice Services would help educators positively interact with children and their parents to help them lead productive, gang-free, and drug-free lives.

Thirteen MS-13 members have been charged in connection to seven murders in Brentwood over the past several years. On Tuesday, May 2, three self-admitted MS-13 gang members were arrested for attempting to kill a man in Westbury, police say.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions came to Central Islip in late April with a message for the deadly MS-13 gang members he believes are a threat to the American public: "We are targeting you."

• MS-13: An Inside Look At The Brutal Gang And Its Insidious Spread On Long Island

“Gangs are brutally and mercilessly preying on people across New York State, and they must be stopped," Sen. Elaine Phillips (R- Manhasset), a cosponsor of the legislation, said. "No community should ever have to fear horrific acts of violence like those which took place on Long Island."

This bill will be sent to the Assembly, where it is sponsored by Codes Committee Chair Joseph R. Lentol.

Assemb. Chad A. Lupinacci (R-Huntington) praised the bill. “While much work still remains in ending the violence and drug trafficking by MS-13, I am confident this legislation will go a long way in accomplishing that goal," he said in a statement. "I encourage Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo and my colleagues in the Assembly to join me in supporting this bill so we can end this threat immediately.”

Image via AP Photo/Claudia Torrens, File: A reward poster from September 2016 seeking information on the deaths of Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cueva, two girls who were killed by MS-13 members in Brentwood.