Men Plead Not Guilty To Gang-Related Nasasu Deaths: DA

Two alleged MS-13 gang members pleaded not guilty on Friday to murder charges in connection to two separate deaths that occurred in Nassau County, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Josue Figueroa-Velazquez, 19, and Kevin Lopez-Morales, 21, were arraigned on two counts each of second-degree murder.

“These defendants allegedly lured their teenage victims into the woods on two separate occasions and ruthlessly hacked them to death because of perceived slights to their gang,” Singas said in a press release. “We are working day and night with law enforcement agencies nationwide to eradicate MS-13 and to end their victimization of our immigrant neighbors.”

Related:

• Nassau Police Make Arrest In Gang-Related Slaying Of 19-Year-Old
• Third Arrest Made In Slaying Of Nassau Teen
• Nassau Police ID Remains Of Latest MS-13 Victim
• Nassau Police Find Remains Of Another MS-13 Victim

On Sept. 4, 2016, the DA says Figueroa-Velazquez and Lopez-Morales acted with others to strike Josue Amaya Leonor with a machete multiple times, killing him. They then buried Leonor’s body, which was recovered in May 2018, in a wooded area of the Roosevelt Preserve. Their co-defendant, 19-year-old Jose Daniel Lopez, was arraigned on September 6 on a second-degree murder charge. The investigation is ongoing.

On July 21, 2017, Figueroa-Velazquez and Lopez-Morales, acting with other apprehended individuals, killed 15-year-old Angel Soler. The teen's body was mutilated, bearing injuries consistent with the use of a machete, and he suffered blunt force trauma to the head. His buried remains were discovered under cement in October 2017 in a remote wooded area in Roosevelt, just south of the Southern State Parkway. Co-defendants David Sosa-Guevera, Victor Lopez and Dennis Lopez were previously indicted on murder charges related to the killing of Soler.

Both Leonor and Soler were allegedly murdered because they were perceived to be enemies of MS-13.

Nassau County Police arrested Kevin Lopez-Morales on Sept. 6 and Josue Figueroa-Velazquez on May 29.

Figueroa-Velazquez is due back in court on November 14 and Lopez-Morales is due back in court on November 15. If convicted the defendants face a potential maximum of 25 years to life in prison on each charge.

Images via NCDA: (l-r) Josue Figueroa-Velazquez and Kevin Lopez-Morales