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| MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Quadruple Murder Highlighted by Trump | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| After Josue Portillo crossed into the United States illegally in 2015, he settled in Long Island and sought to join the same gang — MS-13 — that was terrorizing his hometown in El Salvador. On April 11, 2017, authorities say he took part in executing four young Latino men in the woods behind a suburban soccer field, a sensational crime that drew national attention and became a rallying cry in President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. | After Josue Portillo crossed into the United States illegally in 2015, he settled in Long Island and sought to join the same gang — MS-13 — that was terrorizing his hometown in El Salvador. On April 11, 2017, authorities say he took part in executing four young Latino men in the woods behind a suburban soccer field, a sensational crime that drew national attention and became a rallying cry in President Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration. |
| Mr. Portillo, now 17, pleaded guilty on Monday to federal racketeering charges and for his role in the four murders, according to prosecutors. Authorities initially charged him as a juvenile in July 2017, along with nine other gang members or associates, in the murder of the four young men: Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez Banegas, Jefferson Villalobos and Jorge Tigre. | Mr. Portillo, now 17, pleaded guilty on Monday to federal racketeering charges and for his role in the four murders, according to prosecutors. Authorities initially charged him as a juvenile in July 2017, along with nine other gang members or associates, in the murder of the four young men: Justin Llivicura, Michael Lopez Banegas, Jefferson Villalobos and Jorge Tigre. |
| But even though Mr. Portillo was just shy of 16 years old at the time of the killings, the judge in the case decided that he should be charged as an adult because of the severity of the crime. Mr. Portillo, Judge Joseph F. Bianco, of District Court in Central Islip, said, was charged with “four heinous, premeditated murders” and posed a danger to the community. | But even though Mr. Portillo was just shy of 16 years old at the time of the killings, the judge in the case decided that he should be charged as an adult because of the severity of the crime. Mr. Portillo, Judge Joseph F. Bianco, of District Court in Central Islip, said, was charged with “four heinous, premeditated murders” and posed a danger to the community. |
| Mr. Portillo’s grandmother had sent him to be with his mother in Long Island to avoid the gang in El Salvador. | Mr. Portillo’s grandmother had sent him to be with his mother in Long Island to avoid the gang in El Salvador. |
| “The record reflects that he sought out the MS-13 gang and was an active, willing participant in its violent culture,” Judge Bianco wrote in the order released on Monday. More so, Mr. Portillo killed the young men, the court documents show, “with the understanding that he would be promoted within the gang.” | “The record reflects that he sought out the MS-13 gang and was an active, willing participant in its violent culture,” Judge Bianco wrote in the order released on Monday. More so, Mr. Portillo killed the young men, the court documents show, “with the understanding that he would be promoted within the gang.” |
| Mr. Portillo is the first of the accused to publicly plead guilty. | Mr. Portillo is the first of the accused to publicly plead guilty. |
| “By pleading guilty, he puts himself at the mercy of the court,” said his lawyer, Joseph W. Ryan Jr. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2019. “The courts recognize that sparing a trial and cost of the proceeding is an incentive to getting a more lenient sentence,” Mr. Ryan said. | “By pleading guilty, he puts himself at the mercy of the court,” said his lawyer, Joseph W. Ryan Jr. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2019. “The courts recognize that sparing a trial and cost of the proceeding is an incentive to getting a more lenient sentence,” Mr. Ryan said. |
| The court filings added new details to the account of a gruesome night, showing that Mr. Portillo participated in planning meetings weeks before the murders when they were focusing on one victim, who in the end escaped. On April 11 Mr. Portillo set the events in motion: He texted two teenage girls, telling them where to lure the victims and relaying that information to his fellow gang members. In addition to using machetes and knives, the attackers beat their victims that night with tree limbs, the documents show. | The court filings added new details to the account of a gruesome night, showing that Mr. Portillo participated in planning meetings weeks before the murders when they were focusing on one victim, who in the end escaped. On April 11 Mr. Portillo set the events in motion: He texted two teenage girls, telling them where to lure the victims and relaying that information to his fellow gang members. In addition to using machetes and knives, the attackers beat their victims that night with tree limbs, the documents show. |
| According to court filings, the local clique of MS-13, a transnational gang formed in the 1980s in Los Angeles with refugees from El Salvador, was seeking revenge against a group of young men whom they believed to be in a rival gang. Jefferson Villalobos, a cousin of Michael Lopez Banegas, was visiting from Florida that week. The families of the slain boys have said in interviews that they were not part of any gang, and even Mr. Trump, when appearing on Long Island, recognized their parents as victims. | According to court filings, the local clique of MS-13, a transnational gang formed in the 1980s in Los Angeles with refugees from El Salvador, was seeking revenge against a group of young men whom they believed to be in a rival gang. Jefferson Villalobos, a cousin of Michael Lopez Banegas, was visiting from Florida that week. The families of the slain boys have said in interviews that they were not part of any gang, and even Mr. Trump, when appearing on Long Island, recognized their parents as victims. |
| The quadruple homicide brought the total to 17 murders committed in Suffolk County by MS-13 from January 2016 through April 2017, and drew Mr. Trump to Long Island, twice, where he decried gang members as “animals” and urged officials to crack down on “loopholes” of the immigration system. | The quadruple homicide brought the total to 17 murders committed in Suffolk County by MS-13 from January 2016 through April 2017, and drew Mr. Trump to Long Island, twice, where he decried gang members as “animals” and urged officials to crack down on “loopholes” of the immigration system. |