The iron grip of the 18th Street gang on various parts of the United States has been loosened with the latest conviction of its members on serious racketeering charges. Junior Zelaya Canales, also known as "Terco," pled guilty in federal court for his role in the violence that terrorized communities from New York to Texas and even reached into El Salvador. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, Canales is the final defendant to enter a guilty plea, alongside eight others.
These convictions reveal a staggering breadth of criminal enterprise, spanning the execution of rival gang members and the heartless killing of a 15-year-old boy. One of the victims, Joshua Guzman, was lured to his death on the mere suspicion of having been disrespectful towards the gang, as detailed in the thorough feds' investigation. Serving as scars on the fabric of their communities, the murders and multiple shootings that these individuals orchestrated, cut through the lives of many, guided by a relentless pursuit of power and control.
"Today’s guilty plea marks the end of a sweeping investigation into the violent and disturbing affairs of the 18th Street gang that removed some of the most influential, powerful and ruthless gang leaders and members from city streets across the country," the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Breon Peace, reflected on the case's closure. The depth and perseverance of the joint investigative work were credited to various agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security, and numerous local police departments. This cooperation led to the dismantling of a complex network of crime that utilized murder, extortion, and drug trafficking to fortify its grim presence.
Each of the defendants, including Walter Fernando Alfaro Pineda and Jose Douglas Castellano among others, has faced or will face their fate before justice, with potential sentences ranging up to life in prison. Through a twisted allegiance proven in blood, the gang enforced its harsh code with bullets and blades, like the shell casings that poured out into the streets of Woodside, Queens during a turf war. Alfaro Pineda, a national leader, was deep into illegal dealings, collecting ill-gotten gains and doling out death sentences like the one meted out to suspected snitch Jonathan Figueroa.
