Nassau County is cracking down on gang violence and behavior, having arrested 42 individuals allegedly involved in gang activity in just four days. County police, in partnership with ICE, apprehended individuals who were allegedly involved in criminal activity including attempted murder, rape and human trafficking.
“We have had a very, very important sweeping, pickup of people that were dangerous to our community and the whole region, not just Nassau County,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman at a press conference on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said that police saw gang activity between MS-13 and 18th Street on Saturday, Aug. 9, where there was a “gang on gang” home invasion, shooting and stabbing. He said the gang activity continued with a shooting on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
Ryder said there were 42 arrests from Wednesday, Aug. 13, through Friday, Aug. 17. Of the 42, he said that 25 were gang members. Blakeman said 33 are in ICE custody. Ryder said that MS-13 is the strongest gang in the county.
Ryder said that in addition to “gang on gang” violence, gang members have assaulted innocent victims, including an individual with cognitive issues. He said a group of four MS-13 gang members had chased the victim from Kennedy Park in Hempstead to Roosevelt, where he escaped. Ryder said the gang members’ car was recovered with masks, gloves, radios and weapons inside.
The press conference came the day after Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced the indictments of Elias Serrano Bonilla, 21; Pedro Martinez Velasquez, 18; Edras Daniel Velazquez Giron, 19; Kelvin Martinez, 19; and Jeffrey Valladares Archaga, 20, who allegedly “orchestrated and carried out brutal attacks” in relation to MS-13.
“If you are part of any gang that brings violence to our streets, know that you will be found,” Donnelly said at a news conference.
Blakeman said gang activity saw a “spike” recently, despite the fact that crime has generally been down. He said the alleged crimes committed by the individuals include attempted murders, assaults, drug dealing, and human trafficking.
“Gang activity in Nassau County will not be tolerated,” Blakeman said. He said that as soon as the county sees activity begin, they will “nip it in the bud.”
“This is like playing whack-a-mole. You poke your head up, we’re going to knock it back down,” Ryder said.
Blakeman said ICE was notified when relevant, and that when individuals who were apprehended were to be released due to cashless bail laws — which allow the release of an arrested individual without putting up bail money — ICE “picked them up so that they would not continue to do harm to the community.”
“They’re not going to go into a cashless bail system and walk out the door, and I can’t touch them for 24 hours. Now we turn them over directly to ICE,” Ryder said.
“We’re dedicated to keeping our communities safe and ensuring transnational criminal organizations do not find safe haven in our community,” said ICE Assistant Field Office Director Brian Flanagan. Flanagan said 33 of the offenders are in “ICE custody without bond pending removal” and that many of them are from Central America.
Blakeman said the county is a safer place due to its partnership with federal agencies, like ICE and the FBI.
“To those engaged in gang activity: not in this county. If you’re smart, you’ll get out of town because in Nassau County, you’re going to be prosecuted, you’re going to be incarcerated, or you’re going to be deported,” Blakeman said
Ryder said that in 2017, MS-13 members had killed rival gang members and those who refused to join the gang, decapitating them and burying them in shallow graves. He said the police recovered nine bodies from that era and the police are currently working to prevent that from happening again.
County officials said the police will continue to monitor gang activity and take appropriate action. He said the county aims to educate young residents about the dangers of gangs to deter them from joining.
“We want every neighborhood in Nassau County — north to south, east to west — to be safe,” Blakeman said. “And therefore, once we see a little spike, we address it immediately. We’re proactive.”
“We’re not done yet,” Ryder said.
