MS-13 associate sentenced for murder of teen in Kissena Park

FLUSHING — At the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Oscar Flores-Mejia, also known as “Chamuco,” was sentenced for the murder of 17-year-old Andy Peralta.  

Flores-Mejia, an associate of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, will face 45 years in prison. 

Co-defendants Juan Amaya-Ramirez, also known as “Cadaver,” and Leyla Carranza previously received 45- and 22-year sentences, respectively, for their participation in the murder. 

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr., FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso announced the sentences. 

“The senselessness of this murder is matched only by its brutality,” Nocella stated. “The defendants lured Andy Peralta to a secluded part of Kissena Park where they beat him mercilessly before Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death and Flores-Mejia hacked at him with a knife. The murder of this teenager is a chilling reminder of MS-13’s callous disregard for human life.” 

Mr. Nocella also thanked the NYPD for its work on the case. 

“MS-13’s violence is methodical, premeditated and ruthless — its depravity laid bare in the horrific and senseless murder of Andy Peralta in Kissena Park, N.Y.,” Alfonso added. “No prison sentence can ever restore what was stolen from his family, who are forced to endure the lifelong trauma of such unimaginable brutality.” 

As proved at a hearing in connection with Leyla Carranza’s sentencing, the defendants sought to murder Peralta because they believed he was associated with 18th Street, a rival gang of MS-13.  

Flores-Mejia found a video online that depicted Peralta, whom the defendants did not know, briefly flashing a sign associated with the 18th Street gang. Flores-Mejia then recruited a 16-year-old boy to help kill Peralta.  

Amaya-Ramirez’s then-girlfriend, Carranza, was recruited to befriend Peralta and lure him to his death in the park. 

The day of the murder, Carranza messaged Peralta and took him to a predetermined location in Kissena Park in Flushing, where Amaya-Ramirez, Flores-Mejia and their 16-year-old accomplice were waiting.  

Flores-Mejia had brought a knife and black winter gloves to use in the attack.  

When Peralta arrived, Flores-Mejia gave a signal, and the men attacked Peralta, beating him until they were exhausted. Amaya-Ramirez then began strangling Peralta while Flores-Mejia stomped on his head.  

Peralta begged for his life and called out for his mother and father. Flores-Mejia put dirt in his mouth to silence him and Amaya-Ramirez choked him to death. Flores-Mejia stabbed Peralta in the back and slashed his tattoo of his girlfriend’s name. 

The men took a photograph posing over Peralta’s body in which they flashed MS-13 hand signs. They stole Peralta’s money and dragged him to a small body of water, where he was found the following day. 

This sentencing is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of MS-13.  

MS-13’s leadership was based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  

Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  

Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions stem from investigations led by our law enforcement partners, including HSI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which is composed of FBI and NYPD agents and officers. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Organized Crime & Gangs Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, EDNY. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Siegel, Anna L. Karamigios and Kamil R. Ammari are in charge of the prosecution.