District Attorney: MS-13 Gang Members Arraigned for Shooting in Southold

Three men who authorities identify as members of the street gang MS-13 were arraigned yesterday on a seven-count grand jury indictment related to an October 14 violent conflict in Southold.

Authorities said that shortly after midnight October 14 the MS-13 members spotted two members of the 18th Street gang, which whom MS-13 had a confrontation four days earlier at Third Street Park in Greenport. The 18th Street gang members were walking along Route 25 and South Harbor Road in Southold. During a confrontation, as many as five shots were fired from a .22 caliber handgun, according to the DA’s office. Southold police recovered a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun during the investigation.

Jeremias Recinos Torres, aka Conejo, of Aquebogue and Pedro Emilio Santamaria, aka Loco, 31, of Greenport, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree gang assault, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and criminal possession of a firearm. A 17-year-old Greenport resident also pleaded not guilty to the assault charges Wednesday. A fourth defendent, who is also a 17-year-old Greenport resident, pleaded not guilty to six assault and gang assault charges on Tuesday.

For each defendent, bail was set at $500,000 cash or $1 million bond.