3 High-Ranking MS-13 Members Plead Guilty To 8 Murders On LI: Feds

CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — Three members of MS-13 from Nassau County have pleaded guilty to multiple crimes including eight murders on Long Island in 2016 and 2017, federal prosecutors announced.

David Sosa-Guevara, also known as "Risky," the New York regional leader of the Hollywood Locos Salvatruchas (Hollywood) clique of MS-13 and Victor Lopez-Morales, also known as "Persa," a high-ranking member of the Hollywood clique, pleaded guilty on Thursday.

Kevin Torres, also known as "Inquieto" and "Quieto," the New York regional leader of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of MS-13, pleaded guilty on Friday, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Collectively, the three men pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with their respective roles in nine MS-13-driven murders, including the killing of Kerin Pineda in Freeport; the murder of Javier Castillo in Freeport and Josue Amaya-Leonor's murder in Roosevelt, prosecutors said.

When sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack, under the terms of their plea agreements, Sosa-Guevara, 33, of Roosevelt, and Torres, 29, of Freeport, each face up to 65 years in prison. Lopez-Morales, 36, of Roosevelt, faces up to 60 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

"The defendants have admitted to their participation in numerous murders savagely committed with machetes and guns, all on behalf of the MS-13 and to increase their status in that depraved criminal organization,” stated Acting United States Attorney Carolyn Pokorny.

The defendants admitted to committing the crimes set forth below in order to maintain and increase their membership and status within the gang, and to further the mission of the MS-13, prosecutors said.

“MS-13 callously used murder in an attempt to exert control over territory for their ruthless gang operations," FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Dennehy said.