Three 18th Street Gang Leaders Sentenced to Over 115 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Jose Douglass Castellano, also known as "Chino," a high-ranking member of the 18th Street gang, was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to more than 35 years' imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy in connection with his participation in the October 25, 2017 murder of 20-year-old Jonathan Figueroa in Saugerties, New York. Castellano is the third and final gang leader to be sentenced under a seventh superseding indictment in connection with a sprawling racketeering conspiracy that also involved the September 12, 2016 murder of 15-year-old Joshua Guzman in Hempstead, New York; the February 2, 2018 murder of 20-year-old Oscar Antonio Blanco Hernandez in Queens; and multiple shootings and other gang activity. Junior Zelaya Canales, also known as "Terco," a Queens-based regional gang leader, and Walter Fernando Alfaro Pineda, also known as "Clever," a Texas-based national gang leader, were each sentenced to 40 years' imprisonment in February and March 2026, respectively. Co-defendants Yanki Misael Cruz Mateo, also known as "Doggy" and "Wino," Israel Mendiola Flores, also known as "Chapito," Yoni Alexander Sierra, also known as "Arc Angel" and "Wasson," Jose Jimenez Chacon, also known as "Little One," Carolina Cruz, also known as "La Fiera," and Eric Chavez, also known as "Lunatico," were also previously sentenced.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentences.

"The defendants were high-ranking members of an international criminal organization fueled by violence and fear that left a wake of sorrow and destruction in its path," stated United States Attorney Nocella. "These significant sentences send the message that our Office will never waiver in its efforts to eradicate the scourge of gang violence. It is my sincere hope that the justice meted out provides a measure of comfort and closure for the victims of these senseless crimes. The arrest, prosecution, and incarceration for decades of violent gang members achieves the goal of the Administration's Operation Take Back America: protecting our communities from those individuals like these defendants who cause the greatest harm."

Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, the Ulster County District Attorney's Office, the Queens County District Attorney's Office, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, the New York State Police, the Kingston Police Department, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Nassau County Police Department, the Hempstead Police Department, and the Justice Department's Office of International Affairs for their assistance during the investigation.

"For years, these three high-ranking 18th Street gang members plagued our community with senseless violence, death, and tragedy without any consideration for public safety. May today's significant sentences highlight the shared determination of the FBI's Long Island Safe Streets Task Force and our law enforcement partners to dismantle a notorious international gang's hierarchy, and offer a small sense of closure to the victims of their unthinkable actions," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

According to court filings and proceedings, 18th Street is a well-known and well-established international criminal organization and violent street gang with members and associates residing throughout New York State including Queens and Long Island, and elsewhere throughout the United States including Houston, Texas. 18th Street members regularly engage in murder, attempted murder, assault, extortion, illegal drug and firearms trafficking, false identification document production, witness tampering, and money laundering.

The defendants and their co-conspirators committed multiple acts of violence to promote and enhance the prestige and reputation of the gang, and to maintain and increase their own membership and status in the gang, including the following:

September 12, 2016 Murder of Joshua Guzman

In September 2016, Zelaya Canales, then the regional leader of the Shatto Park Locos Sureños ("SPLS") sect of 18th Street, ordered that Guzman be killed, in part, because the gang perceived Guzman to have been disrespectful towards 18th Street gang members. In the evening of September 11, 2016, Zelaya Canales dispatched two lower-level gang members to Long Island to lure Guzman out and murder him as part of a demonstration of their allegiance to 18th Street. On September 12, 2016 at approximately 1:03 a.m., the Hempstead Police Department received a ShotSpotter notification of gunshots fired near the intersection of Linden Avenue and Laurel Avenue in Hempstead, New York. A Hempstead Police Department officer and members of Nassau Police Department responded to the location and discovered the body of 15-year-old Guzman near the curb. Guzman was shot once in the back of the head and pronounced dead at the crime scene. Following the murder, Zelaya Canales arranged and agreed with Alfaro Pineda to send one of the perpetrators to Texas to thwart his apprehension.

July 9, 2017 Attempted Murder of Rival Gang Members

On July 9, 2017, at approximately 10:35 p.m., NYPD officers responded to the Woodside section of Queens, New York, after numerous calls were made to 9-1-1 concerning multiple gunshots. Multiple witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing approximately three to four men run towards Woodhaven Boulevard. After a canvas of the area, police officers recovered nine 9-millimeter shell casings among other evidence. Zelaya Canales led the shootout with assistance from at least two additional 18th Street gang members over a territorial dispute with a rival gang.

NYPD subsequently went to Zelaya Canales's apartment in Queens to execute two arrest warrants unrelated to the shooting. During the execution of the warrants, NYPD ultimately recovered a 9-millimeter Ruger with a defaced serial number, 4 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition, 56 rounds of .357 magnum ammunition, 34 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition and 23 rounds of .38 ammunition. Subsequent forensic ballistics examination revealed that the Zelaya Canales's 9-mm Ruger was the same weapon that fired the 9-millimeter shell casings found at the crime scene of the July 9, 2017 shootout in Woodhaven.

September 20, 2017 Assault of John Doe

On September 20, 2017, Chavez, together with another 18th Street gang member, approached John Doe on the street and shot him because they believed he was a member of the rival gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13). John Doe survived and was treated for a gunshot wound at a local hospital.

October 25, 2017 Murder of Jonathan Figueroa

By October 2017, gang members in New York suspected Jonathan Figueroa, a fellow 18th Street gang member, of cooperating with law enforcement in connection with the investigation of the murder of Joshua Guzman. Senior gang members, including Castellano, sought Alfaro Pineda's authorization to murder Figueroa. Alfaro Pineda's authorization was sought because Alfaro Pineda had initiated Figueroa into 18th Street in Houston, Texas, and because murdering a fellow gang member required approval from a senior member of the gang, such as Alfaro Pineda. With Alfaro Pineda's authorization, Castellano activated gang members based in Kingston, New York, and directed them to coordinate with Queens-based gang members to see to Figueroa's execution. Gang members in Kingston then began digging a grave in Turkey Point State Forest in anticipation of Figueroa's arrival.

In the late-night hours of October 24, 2017, Cruz Mateo lured and travelled with Figueroa from Queens to Kingston, New York. Upon their arrival in Kingston, they were met by Flores and other 18th Street members and associates who, into the early morning hours of October 25, 2017, brought Figueroa to Turkey Point State Forest, brutally stabbed him to death and buried him in the makeshift grave. Cruz Mateo ordered the murder to be video-recorded-capturing multiple 18th Street members and associates repeatedly stabbing Figueroa, slashing his throat, amputating his ear, and dragging his body. In the video, Cruz Mateo stated that Figueroa was being murdered for "being a rat." Cruz-Mateo then sent the video to other 18th Street members as a warning to other gang members who disrespected the gang or may cooperate with law enforcement. Figueroa, whose body was discovered in February 2018 by the FBI, along with state and local law enforcement authorities, in a five-foot deep grave in Turkey Point, sustained more than 100 stab wounds including at least one stab wound to the head that appears to have fractured his skull, and a slash to his throat that ruptured his trachea.

February 2, 2018 Murder of Oscar Antonio Blanco Hernandez

On February 2, 2018, several gang members killed Blanco Hernandez because they believed he was a member of the rival MS-13 gang. Chacon had met Blanco Hernandez weeks earlier through their mutual employer, a New Jersey-based house painting company. On the morning of the murder, Cruz and Chacon picked up Blanco Hernandez at his home in New Jersey under the guise of going to smoke marijuana as friends. Cruz and Chacon drove Blanco Hernandez to Queens where they met 18th Street gang members including Cruz Mateo and Sierra who entered the rear passenger seat of Cruz's car on opposite sides, sandwiching Blanco Hernandez between them. Cruz drove Chacon, Cruz-Mateo, Sierra and the victim about 1.6 miles away to a quiet residential neighborhood. Cruz-Mateo, Sierra and Blanco-Hernandez got out of the car and started walking eastbound, while Cruz and Chacon stayed behind with the car. After walking for a few minutes, Cruz-Mateo drew a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun and shot Blanco-Hernandez in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Blanco Hernandez's body was discovered on a residential street in the Jamaica Hills section of Queens. He sustained three gunshot wounds: two gunshots to the torso and one to the head.

The government's case is being handled by the Office's International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax, Erin Reid, Adam Amir and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Tareva Torres.

The Defendants:

WALTER FERNANDO ALFARO PINEDA, also known as "Clever"
Age: 46
Houston, Texas
(Sentenced to 480 months' imprisonment on 3/16/26)

JUNIOR ZELAYA-CANALES, also known as "Terco"
Age: 29
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 480 months' imprisonment on 2/20/26)

JOSE DOUGLAS CASTELLANO, also known as "Chino"
Age: 27
Brooklyn, New York
(Sentenced to 425 months' imprisonment on 4/7/26)

Co-Defendants Previously Sentenced:

YANKI MISAEL CRUZ MATEO, also known as "Yenki Misael Cruz Mateo," "Yankee Mateo," "Doggy," and "Wino"
Age: 26
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 540 months' imprisonment on 1/14/25)

ISRAEL MEDIOLA FLORES, also known as "Chapito" and "Sinaloa"
Age: 31
Kingston, New York
(Sentenced to 425 months' imprisonment on 5/16/23)

YONI ALEXANDER SIERRA, also known as "Arca," "Arc Angel," and "Wasson"
Age: 27
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 204 months' imprisonment on 1/10/25)

JOSE JIMENEZ CHACON, also known as "Little One"
Age: 27
New Brunswick, New Jersey
(Sentenced to 269 months' imprisonment on 11/12/24)

CAROLINA CRUZ, also known as "La Fiera"
Age: 32
Elizabeth, New Jersey
(Sentenced to 150 months' imprisonment on 2/11/25)

ERIC CHAVEZ, also known as "Lunatico"
Age: 27
Jamaica, New York
(Sentenced to 135 months' imprisonment on 5/13/25)

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-139 (S-7) (LDH)