MS-13 Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Eight Murders, Including Teen Girls in Long Island

A leader of an MS-13 gang clique in New York has pleaded guilty to racketeering and firearms charges. Alexi Saenz admitted to his role in eight murders, including the 2016 killings of two high school girls on Long Island. He faces 40 to 70 years in prison and will be sentenced on January 31.

During the hearing, Saenz spoke through a Spanish interpreter, answering yes and no questions about the plea deal and his crimes. He confessed to ordering or approving the killings of rival gang members and others who had disrespected his clique. Among these were Kayla Cuevas, 16, and Nisa Mickens, 15, who were brutally murdered with a machete and a baseball bat.

Gang Activities and Drug Trafficking

Saenz also admitted to supplying cocaine and marijuana to gang members for street sales. The proceeds were used to buy firearms, more drugs, and contribute to the wider MS-13 gang. His lawyers and supporters declined to comment after the hearing.

Kayla Cuevas' father, Freddy Cuevas, expressed disappointment that the death penalty was not pursued. "He's an animal. He's inhumane," he said of Saenz. "Hopefully justice will be served soon and we can put this all behind us as far as the families are concerned."

Impact on Families

Nisa Mickens' mother, Elizabeth Alvarado, felt relieved that families would avoid the trauma of a trial. "All I want is my daughter to be at peace," she said tearfully while wearing a shirt with her daughter's name. "At the end of the day, she is going to be happy because it will all be over."

The deaths of Cuevas and Mickens raised concerns about police efforts against gang threats in local high schools. In 2016, Hispanic children and young men had been disappearing in Brentwood, a working-class community east of New York City. Following their murders, police found three more bodies of young people who had vanished months earlier.

Law Enforcement Response

Police and federal agents arrested dozens of suspected MS-13 members after these discoveries. The gang, known as Mara Salvatrucha, originated in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by people fleeing civil war in El Salvador.

Kayla Cuevas' mother, Rodriguez, became an anti-gang activist after her daughter's death but was killed in 2018 during a dispute over a memorial for her daughter. Annmarie Drago pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for striking Rodriguez with a car.

Prosecutors identified Saenz as the leader of an MS-13 clique called Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside operating in Brentwood and Central Islip. Charges are still pending against his brother Jairo Saenz, who was allegedly second-in-command.

The case highlights ongoing issues with gang violence and law enforcement's efforts to combat it. The community continues to grapple with the impact of these tragic events.