Street Crew Based In Flushing
Ten reputed members, associates and leaders of the violent international street gang La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) have been charged in a 17-count indictment with violent crimes including racketeering, murder conspiracy, attempted murder, assault, assault conspiracy and illegal use of firearms.
According to U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Loretta E. Lynch, eight defendants were arraigned last Thursday, Jan. 5, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joan M. Azrack at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Six of the defendants- including Christian (a.k.a. Casper) Merino, 18, an MS-13 leader-face maximum sentences of life imprisonment if convicted.
The other suspects were identified as Wilber (a.k.a. Doofy) Baires, 20; Jose (a.k.a. Travieso) Barrera, 23; Kevin (a.k.a. Stalker) Cardona, 19; Rudy (a.k.a. Darky) Guembes- Lorena, 27; Jose Celestino (a.k.a. Pirata) Guillen-Rivas, 31; Carlos (a.k.a. Morro) Hernandez, 20; Abraham (a.k.a. Lobo) Iraheta, 21; Alex (a.k.a. Negro) Machado, 21; and Nelson (a.k.a. Sonic) Quinteros, 18.
The charges were announced Lynch as well as James T. Hayes, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York Field Office; and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.
As detailed in the indictment and other court filings submitted by the government, a multi-year joint investigation by HSI and the NYPD revealed that since 2007, a powerful clique of MS-13 operating in Flushing committed numerous crimes of violence. Among the incidents were two attempted murders-a machete attack in the summer of 2009, and a stabbing and baseball bat beating on Sept. 24, 2010.
The suspects were also charged with conspiring to assault and murder rival gang members.
Following the stabbing and baseball bat beating in September 2010, Merino was intercepted in a tele-
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