Alexi Saenz, the leader of an MS-13 clique in New York City’s suburbs, was sentenced to 68 years in prison in a federal racketeering case involving eight Long Island murders. The case garnered national attention, especially after the 2016 killings of two high school girls that shed light on the violent Central American street gang.
Saenz pleaded guilty last year for his role in ordering and approving the killings, as well as other crimes during a wave of violent incidents that prompted President Donald Trump to visit Long Island multiple times and call for the death penalty for Saenz and other gang members during his presidency.
Despite Saenz’s lawyers seeking a 45-year sentence and prosecutors pushing for the maximum of 70 years, Judge Gary Brown ultimately sentenced Saenz to 68 years behind bars. The judge acknowledged Saenz’s guilty plea and efforts to persuade his younger brother, the gang’s second-in-command, to do the same.
In court, Saenz asked for forgiveness from God, his family, and the victims’ relatives, acknowledging the harm and pain he caused. He attributed his involvement in MS-13 to his difficult upbringing in El Salvador, where he was recruited and “groomed” into the gang.
However, prosecutors dismissed Saenz’s statements as self-serving and insincere, pointing to his continued commitment to MS-13 while in custody. They cited his disciplinary record in prison, which included assaulting other inmates, possessing contraband, and displaying gang signs.
Saenz, also known as “Blasty” and “Big Homie,” led an MS-13 clique in Brentwood and Central Islip responsible for the killings of eight individuals and attempted killings of three others. Among the victims were Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, teenagers who were brutally murdered with a machete and baseball bat.
In addition to the murders, Saenz admitted to arson, firearms offenses, and drug trafficking to fund the gang’s activities. The wider MS-13 gang, known as Mara Salvatrucha, originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s and has since evolved into a transnational criminal organization.
The sentencing of Alexi Saenz serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of gang violence and the need for continued efforts to combat organized crime in communities across the country.
