MS-13 gangster is convicted of murdering eight in a year on Long Island - including two schoolgirls DA says killer's hands are 'drenched with blood'

An MS-13 pack leader has been convicted for ordering aliases carrying retired nan murders of 8 group successful conscionable 1 twelvemonth connected Long Island, including 2 schoolgirls.

Alexi Saenz, 29, besides known arsenic 'Blasty' and 'Big Homie,' pleaded blameworthy Wednesday to racketeering charges for nan drawstring of murders successful 2016 - pinch his lawyer reference a connection that admitted Saenz ordered aliases approved nan killings of pack rivals.

He besides admitted to arson, firearms offenses and supplier trafficking - nan proceeds of which went to buying much firearms and drugs, and provided contributions to nan larger MS-13 operation. 

Among Saenz's victims were Kayla Cuevas, 16, and Nisa Mickens, 15 - 2 lifelong friends whose murders raised nan nation's consciousness of a increasing pack problem successful nan United States.

Saenz said he was not coming erstwhile nan 2 teenagers were killed, but had telephone conversations pinch different pack members readying retired nan onslaught beforehand.

The precocious schoolers were stepping done their suburban vicinity of Brentwood - astir 40 miles eastbound of New York City - connected September 13, 2016 erstwhile they were attacked by a group of young men and teenage boys who hacked and hit them to death.

Cuevas' assemblage was astir unrecognizable successful nan aftermath.

According to prosecutors, nan onslaught came after Cuevas sewage into an online conflict pinch immoderate of nan MS-13 pack members and their associates.

The animosity boiled complete to a conflict astatine Brentwood High School, which prosecutors opportunity led nan pack to 'put a "greenlight" connected Cuevas, that is they authorized her to beryllium killed,' nan New York Post reports. 

Following nan murders, then-candidate Donald Trump called for those progressive to look nan decease punishment arsenic he blamed nan unit connected lax migration policies.

The girls' deaths besides led to questions astir whether constabulary connected Long Island had been fierce capable successful confronting nan gangs sprouting up astatine section precocious schools.

For months successful 2016, Hispanic children and young men had been disappearing successful Brentwood, pinch constabulary later discovering nan bodies of 3 different teenagers successful Brentwood, ages 15, 18 and 19, who were reported missing months earlier.

In national tribunal connected Wednesday, Saenz admitted to playing a domiciled successful six different murders and 3 attempted murders.

Among them were Javier Castillo, 15, of Central Islip, who prosecutors opportunity befriended immoderate members of nan pack - only to find himself driven 30 miles westbound to Freeport, wherever he was fatally attacked pinch a machete successful an isolated marsh.

His assemblage was recovered a twelvemonth later.

Oscar Acosta, 19, was besides lured by members of nan pack to fume marijuana successful a wooded area, wherever he was bludgeoned pinch character limbs and hacked to decease pinch a machete. His assemblage was recovered adjacent immoderate railroad tracks conscionable days aft Cuevas and Mickens were killed.

Michael Johnson, 29, was lured to decease successful overmuch nan aforesaid measurement arsenic Acosta, and was ambushed from down - pinch pack members striking him pinch a shot bat, stabbing him pinch a weapon and taking turns hacking him pinch a machete.

Other victims see Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla, 29, who was killed by a gunman wrong a Central Islip deli; Dewann Stacks, 34, who was ambushed and beaten to decease arsenic he walked on a roadworthy successful Brentwood adjacent a wooded area nan pack would sometimes usage arsenic a gathering spot; and Marcus Bohannon, 27, who was changeable 9 times.

'To opportunity that Alexi Saenz's hands are drenched successful humor does not statesman to picture nan aggregate killings and utmost mayhem he personally directed and committed successful nan span of 1 twelvemonth successful Suffolk County,' said Breon Peace, nan US Attorney for nan Eastern District of New York. 

Saenz was yet arrested successful 2017, connected racketeering, conspiracy and execution charges on pinch a twelve different members of his Long Island pack - which was dubbed nan Sailors Locos Savatruchas Westside.

Prosecutors primitively sought nan decease punishment successful nan case, but United States Attorney General Merrick Garland instructed section prosecutors to retreat their intent to activity superior punishment, according to ABC 7. 

Under his plea deal, Saenz now faces up to 70 years successful prison.

But prosecutors person noted that they clasp nan correct to propulsion nan statement earlier sentencing if his brother, Jairo Saenz - who allegedly served arsenic nan number-two leader successful nan pack - does not besides work together to a plea woody earlier Alexi's sentencing astatine nan extremity of January.

Charges against nan relative are still pending. 

Meanwhile, families of nan victims person expressed mixed emotions to Saenz's plea deal.

George Johnson, nan begetter of Michael Johnson, noted that he did not spot immoderate remorse aliases emotion from Saenz arsenic he sat successful national tribunal connected Wednesday to look nan charges, and based on 'he should die' successful jail.

'This conscionable seemed for illustration thing he wanted to get complete and done with,' he said. 

Freddy Cuevas, nan begetter of Kayla, besides said he was disappointed nan decease punishment was taken disconnected nan table.

'He's an animal. He's inhumane,' Cuevas said of Saenz.

'Hopefully justness will beryllium served soon and we tin put this each down america arsenic acold arsenic nan families are concerned.' 

Nisa's mother, Elizabeth Alvarado, meanwhile, expressed alleviation that she and nan different families would not person to spell done nan trauma of a trial.

'All I was is my girl to beryllium astatine peace,' she said betwixt tears arsenic she wore a achromatic garment pinch her daughter's sanction connected nan back.

'The much clip we person out, she is ne'er going to beryllium astatine peace,' Alvarado explained. 

'At nan extremity of nan day, she is going to beryllium happy because it will each beryllium over.'