(The Epoch Times)—A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Alexi Saenz, the leader of a notorious MS-13 clique, to 68 years in prison for orchestrating a wave of violence that left eight people dead in Long Island.
Saenz, 30, also known by the aliases “Blasty” and “Plaky,” led the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside, a chapter of the transnational MS-13 gang operating in Long Island’s Brentwood and Central Islip, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The sentencing, delivered by U.S. District Judge Gary R. Brown, marks one of the harshest penalties in a string of prosecutions targeting the gang’s leadership on the East Coast.
A Brutal Campaign
Prosecutors detailed a series of crimes committed under Saenz’s command, including eight murders, three attempted murders, arson, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The violence reached its most public flashpoint in September 2016, when two Brentwood High School students, Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas, were killed with a machete and a baseball bat after a dispute with gang members.
The murders of Mickens, 15, and Cuevas, 16, shocked the nation and prompted President Donald Trump to visit Long Island, calling for the death penalty for Saenz and other gang members.
Victims’ Families Speak Out
During the emotional sentencing hearing, victims’ families confronted Saenz, describing the pain and devastation inflicted by the gang’s violence.
Elizabeth Alvarado, mother of Nisa Mickens, clutched a box containing her daughter’s ashes as she addressed Saenz directly: “Why did you take her? We are not supposed to bury our children.”
Santos Castillo, whose 15-year-old son Javier was also murdered, told the court he accepted the judge’s decision after years of anguish.
“I’m not able to be happy, but I’m satisfied,” Castillo said outside the courthouse. “It’s been painful. We’ve waited eight years for today.
“We came for lasting peace, work, and a better future for our children. Our lives will never be normal again.”
George Johnson, father of victim Michael Johnson, wore a shirt bearing his son’s image and demanded Saenz look him in the eye.
“A coward,” Johnson called him outside the courthouse.
Gang’s Methods and Motives
Federal investigators described Saenz as a key figure in maintaining and expanding MS-13’s grip on Long Island through ruthless violence and intimidation, according to the attorney’s office. The murders, often carried out with machetes, firearms, and baseball bats, targeted perceived rivals or those who had “disrespected” the gang.
Among the crimes Saenz admitted to were the January 2016 murder of Michael Johnson, the April 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta, and the October 2016 murder of Javier Castillo, all of whom were lured to secluded areas and killed after being suspected of rival gang affiliations. In several cases, victims were ambushed, beaten, and hacked to death, then buried in shallow graves or left in wooded areas.
Saenz also oversaw drug trafficking operations, using proceeds to purchase firearms, fund further criminal activity, and send money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador.
Courtroom and Community Response
Saenz pleaded guilty last year to racketeering charges, avoiding a trial and prompting prosecutors to withdraw their intent to seek the death penalty. His attorneys argued for a 45-year sentence, citing his intellectual disabilities and traumatic upbringing in El Salvador, which they said made him vulnerable to recruitment and “grooming” by MS-13.
Saenz, addressing the court in Spanish, asked for forgiveness.
“I know my apology will not repair the harm and pain that I have caused. I know many of you do not accept my apology, but I want to say from the bottom of my heart that these words are sincere,” he said.
Prosecutors dismissed his apology as “self-serving,” pointing to his disciplinary record in custody, which included assaults, possession of weapons, and other contraband.
Judge Brown said the sentence was reduced by two years in recognition of Saenz’s guilty plea and his role in persuading his younger brother, Jairo Saenz, the gang’s second-in-command, to do the same. Jairo Saenz pleaded guilty in January and faces sentencing in September.
Ongoing Efforts Against MS-13
Law enforcement officials hailed the sentence as a major victory in the ongoing campaign to dismantle MS-13. “Alexi Saenz led an unspeakable reign of terror, killing, and crime that damaged his community and cost several people their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., in the U.S. Attorney’s Office July 2 press release.
FBI New York Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia added, “May today’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s relentless determination to crush all gang violence plaguing our communities.”
Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members have been convicted on federal charges in the Eastern District of New York, including dozens of clique leaders. The investigation into MS-13’s activities on Long Island continues, led by a multi-agency task force.
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