Death Penalty Sought If MS-13 Leader Convicted In 7 Deaths: Feds

BRENTWOOD, NY — Federal officials are seeking the death penalty for an MS-13 gang member accused of killing seven people, including two young girls on Long Island.

Alexi Saenz, who authorities said was the leader of the Brentwood chapter of the Sailors gang, was among two dozen members of MS-13 charged with racketeering in connection with multiple killings and planned homicides on Long Island.

Saenz, also known as "Blasty" and "Plaky," authorized the 2016 Brentwood killing of Oscar Acosta, suspected of being a rival 18th Street gang member, authorities said. Saenz was also involved in the 2016 killing of Javier Castillo, also suspected of being a rival 18th Street gang member.

In addition, Saenz faces charges in connection with the September 2016 killings of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens. The two teens and friends were found slain and their deaths caused authorities to focus on disrupting MS-13, particularly on Long Island. Since then, dozens of gang members were arrested in connection to several killings between 2016 and 2018.

Federal prosecutors called for the death penalty should Saenz be convicted of murder in any of the deaths of Acosta, Castillo, Cuevas, and Mickens, or the killings of Michael Johnson, Dewann Stacks and Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla.

Saenz "intentionally and specifically engaged in one of more acts of violence, knowing that the act or acts created a grave risk of death to a person, other than one of the participants in the offense, such that participants in such act or acts constituted a reckless disregard for human life," officials said.