Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced five alleged members of MS-13’s Hempstead Locos Salvatruchas gang were charged with conspiracy and attempted murder, among other counts. The five were accused of attacking victims with knives, pipes and a machete in Hempstead and Uniondale last October and December, Donnelly’s office said.
“MS-13 has a long and violent history in New York, particularly on Long Island, where its members have terrorized communities for decades. These indictments demonstrate that my office is committed to eradicating MS-13 and all gangs from Nassau County,” Donnelly said.
“The Nassau County Police Department has zero tolerance for any gang activity or criminal conduct that threatens the safety of our residents or visitors,” said Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
Donnelly said Elias Serrano Bonilla, 21; Pedro Martinez Velasquez, 18; Edras Daniel Velazquez Giron, 19; and Kelvin Martinez, 19, allegedly attacked six people playing soccer at Kennedy Memorial Park in Hempstead with knives and a machete in broad daylight on Oct. 20. The victims were between the ages of 20 to 51, Donnelly’s office said.
Donnelly said surveillance video from the scene shows Bonilla, who is allegedly considered the leader of the gang, walking along the fence line of the soccer field and approaching the victims. Her office said footage also shows Velasquez, Martinez, and Giron hopping the field’s fence and approaching the victims as well.
Donnelly’s office said the four men began kicking and punching the victims, and that Martinez “removed an item from his pants pocket and stabbed a victim in the chest.” Her office said Giron “removed a machete from his pants and struck another victim in the back.”
The office said all six victims sustained injuries, and that one victim was stabbed in his rib cage, which required the removal of his gallbladder and repair to his diaphragm and liver.
Donnelly’s office said that during the attack, Jeffrey Valladares Archaga, 20, waited nearby in a getaway vehicle. The office said that Bonilla, Velasquez, Martinez, and Giron fled the scene after the alleged incident and entered Archaga’s vehicle.
Donnelly’s office said that a court-authorized search warrant of Arachaga’s vehicle uncovered “a knife with an eagle-shaped handle with the letters ‘MS’ etched into it.”
Donnelly’s office said that on Dec. 18, at approximately 8:48 p.m., Bonilla, Velasquez, and Martinez allegedly attacked two victims in the parking lot of Super Laundromat in Uniondale, with white pipes and a machete.
Kenneth Contreras, 24, and Edwin Patzan Piri, 18, were arrested in connection with the alleged incident on Dec. 18, Donnelly’s office said.
The office said surveillance video recovered from the scene showed Bonilla punching one victim as they exited a vehicle, then showed Bonilla, Contreras, and Velasquez striking them with a long white pipe. Donnelly’s office said another victim attempted to intervene and was kicked in the chest by Martinez.
The office said the video showed “Piri removing a machete from his waistband and swinging it approximately 14 times at one victim, striking him approximately eight times.”
Donnelly’s office said “the attackers identified themselves as MS-13 gang members and stated they were going to kill victims.” Both victims suffered injuries, the office said.
Bonilla, Velasquez, and Martinez are charged with conspiracy, attempted murder, gang assault, attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and robbery, Donnelly’s office said.
Bonilla, Velasquez, and Martinez pleaded not guilty, Donnelly’s office said. Velasquez and Martinez are due back in court on Aug. 19, and Bonilla is due back in court on Aug. 21, and they each face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, the office said.
Giron was charged with conspiracy, six counts of attempted murder, gang assault, assault attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon.
Giron pleaded not guilty and was remanded, Donnelly’s office said. He is due back in court on Aug. 21 and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, the office said.
Archaga was charged with conspiracy, criminal possession of a weapon and New York Vehicle and Traffic Law violations, the office said.
Archaga pleaded not guilty, Donnelly’s office said. He is due back in court on Aug. 18, and faces “up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison” if convicted, the office said.
“Our police officers and detectives worked to quickly apprehend these individuals and will continue to work with our partners in the Nassau County District Attorney’s office to bring them to justice. We will never stop working to keep Nassau County safe,” Ryder said.
“My office won’t stand for this kind of threat to safety and won’t allow MS-13 to grip our communities with torment. We will stop at nothing to eliminate gang violence before it escalates, and to protect the safety and sanctity of every family who calls Nassau home,” Donnelly said.
