How big a problem is the MS-13 gang on Long Island?
Law enforcement has released conflicting numbers for how many members the gang has in Nassau and Suffolk counties since a crackdown began two years ago, ranging from a few hundred to thousands.
The questions come days after a gang member was sentenced to decades in jail — but dodged a life sentence — for the brutal murder of four people in a Central Islip, Long Island, park in 2017.
While the gang’s viciousness is not disputed, Newsday reports its size and reach are up for debate.
A year ago, John Cronan, now the principal deputy assistant U.S. Attorney General, said there are roughly 2,000 MS-13 members on Long Island.
But other law enforcement officials and researchers say there are far fewer full-fledged members of the gang in the two counties, including testimony before the US Senate that pegged the number at about 400.
The Suffolk County Police Department told Newsday it has come in contact with “approximately 400 confirmed MS-13 gang members” in the past few years, and “approximately 200 documented MS-13 associates.” However, not all of them are based on Long Island.