MS-13 leader Alexi Saenz pleads guilty to ordering multiple murders
- Alexi Saenz, an MS-13 leader, faces sentencing in connection to a racketeering case involving eight murders.
- Prosecutors have called for a 70-year sentence, reflecting the brutal nature of the crimes committed.
- This case underscores the ongoing issues of gang violence in the suburbs of New York City.
In Central Islip, New York, in 2023, the sentencing of Alexi Saenz, the leader of an MS-13 gang clique known as Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside, highlighted his involvement in a federal racketeering case concerning a series of brutal murders. Saenz pleaded guilty to his role in plotting and approving the killings of eight individuals, including two high school girls, Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, who were brutally murdered in 2016. Their deaths drew national attention to the violent actions of the MS-13 gang and prompted strong public outcry, including demands for stronger law enforcement actions against gang violence. Prosecutors sought a lengthy sentence of 70 years, emphasizing the need for justice in light of the profound impact that the gang's activities have had on the community. Saenz's defense team, however, argued for leniency, citing his remorse and difficult upbringing in El Salvador, suggesting that he was groomed into violence as a vulnerable youth. Despite these pleas, federal prosecutors asserted that Saenz had continued to engage in gang culture while incarcerated, undermining his claims of rehabilitation and remorse, leading to contested views on the appropriate punishment for his extensive criminal actions. Within this context, the government's efforts to combat MS-13, including the backing of former President Trump during his tenure, reflect a broader narrative of the challenges posed by transnational crime syndicates in the United States.