The mother of one of his victims, a 16-year-old boy who was savagely killed by the gang, expressed her hope that the ruthless criminals "rot in jail."
Melvi Amador-Rios, 32, the convicted gang leader, remained emotionless throughout the sentencing hearing. He was the head of Centrales Locos Salvatruchas, an MS-13 clique that wreaked havoc in Jamaica, Queens. Brooklyn Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Karamigios read out impact statements from the victims of his reign of terror.
Bertha Palaguachi, the mother of Julio Vasquez, a teenager who was stabbed over 30 times by MS-13 members on Amador-Rios' orders in 2017, stated her hope that those involved in her son's murder never experience freedom again. "They didn't kill an animal — they killed my son, and I want justice. I hope they stay and rot in jail," Palaguachi wrote in her statement.
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Amador-Rios, also known by the nicknames "Letal" and "Pinky," was the local MS-13 leader when he directed his subordinates, Josue "Colocho" Leiva and Luis "Inquieto" Rivas, to lure Vasquez into a trap at Alley Pond Park in Queens on May 16, 2017.
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The teen was stabbed 34 times, his body nearly decapitated, according to prosecutors.
A local birdwatcher later discovered Vasquez's remains, testifying at trial that the body was "covered with maggots."
Amador-Rios was also found guilty of planning the 2016 shooting of then-16-year-old Luis Serrano. Serrano survived the attempted murder but was left paralyzed. He wrote about the hardships he has faced since being targeted by members of Amador-Rios' clique, who mistakenly believed he was part of a rival gang, the 18th Street. "When I woke up in the hospital, the doctor told me how I wasn't going to be able to move. I started to cry," Serrano said in his statement.
Another victim, Wendy Bolanoes, was robbed at gunpoint by MS-13 members acting on Amador-Rios' orders. She wrote about her ongoing trauma, suffering from PTSD whenever customers wearing masks and hoodies enter her store. She criticized Amador-Rios for resorting to crime instead of seeking legitimate employment.
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Prosecutors argued that Amador-Rios "manipulated" vulnerable teenagers into joining the gang, causing senseless "carnage" on the streets of Jamaica. "He used his position of power to convince children who idolized him to join the gang," Karamigios said in court. She added that victims continue to "live in fear" of retaliation from the gang.
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On August 8, a jury found Amador-Rios guilty of 17 out of 18 counts, including murder in aid of racketeering and attempted murder in aid of racketeering. This verdict followed a two-week trial where several MS-13 informants testified about the lawless rule of the CLS leader, including his own brother, who turned against him during his testimony.
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Amador-Rios, sporting a thicker beard and a new tan prison jumpsuit, chose not to speak at his sentencing. He merely flashed a slight smile and waved at family members in the back row of the courtroom as he was led away following Judge Rachel P. Kovner's delivery of the life sentence.
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U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement, "The defendant will deservedly serve a life sentence for the murder, attempted murder, and armed robberies he committed on behalf of MS-13." He added, "Today's sentence reflects justice for the heinous and senseless nature of the defendant's crimes and the terror he inflicted on his victims, their families, and the community."
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