A member of the MS-13 gang, Omar Antonio Villalta, also known as "Anticristo," has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for his role in the brutal killings of four young men in a Central Islip park and another murder in Virginia. Villalta, a part of the Guanacos clique, entered a guilty plea to charges of racketeering that included acts of murder and conspiracy to murder rival gang members. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the sentence was handed down by US District Judge Gary R. Brown earlier today.
The series of murders carried out by Villalta drew the attention of law enforcement, with the first incident occurring on April 11, 2017, which saw the deaths of four men whom MS-13 believed affiliated with a rival gang. United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, in a statement to the Eastern District of New York, condemned the gang's crimes and vowed the continued effort to dismantle such violent networks. While trying to evade law enforcement, Villalta committed a fifth murder of Marvin Rivera Guevara in Virginia on July 3, 2017.
The crimes associated with Villalta highlight a profound disregard for life, characteristic of MS-13's operations. FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia, speaking about the murders, shared with the U.S. Attorney's Office, "Omar Antonio Villalta, an MS-13 member, repeatedly played judge, jury, and executioner by unlawfully issuing death sentences to five victims perceived to be disrespectful or rivals to the gang."
Collaborative law enforcement efforts were instrumental in bringing Villalta to justice. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, told the U.S. Attorney's Office that the partnership among agencies was key to capturing Villalta and affirmed their ongoing mission to target violent gang actors. Over a dozen associated with the MS-13 have been charged in connection to the 2017 quadruple murder, with six, including Villalta, having received their sentences.
The FBI's Long Island Gang Task Force, a collective of both federal and local law enforcement, spearheaded the investigations that led to these convictions. The effort is a part of the broader Operation Take Back America initiative, aiming for the elimination of cartels and a reduction in violent crime in communities across the nation.
