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One of those homicides occurred near a high school, authorities said.
Gerson Hernandez, age 21, of Uniondale, was arraigned on Thursday, May 11, on murder charges for his role in two supposed gang-related killings in 2022, the Nassau County District Attorney announced.
According to the indictment, Hernandez, who is an alleged member of the MS-13 gang, worked with two other unidentified gang members to shoot victim Walter Ochoa in the chest in a park in Uniondale.
This first incident occurred on July 19, 2022, just before 9:00 p.m., the DA’s Office reported.
Ochoa was surrounded by the three men, including Hernandez and, after he was shot in the chest, Hernandez and another gang member began slashing Ochoa with a knife, causing punctures to his abdomen and neck.
Then, on September 14, 2022, the DA alleges that two alleged gang members, including Hernandez, were in an argument with two other people outside of a Hempstead McDonald’s, near a high school.
At approximately 3:45 p.m., Hernandez saw a friend riding by on a bicycle. The friend reportedly pulled out a gun and shot the victim multiple times outside of the McDonald's.
As the victim lay dying, the DA said, he was stabbed with a large knife.
“MS-13 has wreaked havoc across Long Island and taken too many lives,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly. “We will continue to dismantle this criminal operation one member at a time and ensure our communities are safe from the gang’s unspeakable violence.”
Hernandez is charged with:
- Second-degree murder
- Second-degree gang assault
He was remanded until his next court appearance on Tuesday, June 6.
If convicted, Hernadez faces a potential maximum of 40 years to life in prison.
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