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Ronald Catalan, also known as “Stranger” and “Extrano,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison following his guilty plea to racketeering charges, including predicate acts relating to a June 23, 2009 shooting in Brentwood and an Oct. 21, 2015 shooting in Bay Shore.
Specifically, Catalan, age 30, an MS-13 leader of the Brentwood Locos Salvatrucha group from 2015 until his arrest in July 2017, pleaded guilty in 2018 to racketeering, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana as predicate racketeering acts, as well as illegally using firearms in connection with crimes of violence.
“Catalan will deservedly spend decades in prison for the violent and brutal acts he committed and directed others to carry out as a leader of the MS-13. His ruthless and retaliatory attacks on his so-called ‘rivals’ to enhance his own status in the MS-13 demonstrate his complete and callous disregard for human life,” acting US Attorney Mark Lesko said.
On June 23, 2009, Catalan and two other MS-13 members, all of whom were new members of the clique, armed themselves with handguns and drove through Brentwood, hunting for rival gang members to attack and kill in order to increase their standing in the MS-13 gang, prosecutors said.
They observed a group of men on Barleau Street whom they believed to be members of the Bloods street gang, at which point they got out of the car, approached them, and began firing.
One man was struck in the armpit and back as he attempted to run, requiring surgery, though he survived.
Catalan was also involved in a separate incident on Oct. 21, 2015, on Bancroft Road in North Bay Shore, when he attempted to murder two other men.
Lesko said that Catalan and other MS-13 members decided to retaliate against suspected members of the rival Latin Kings gang for the assault of an MS-13 member earlier that day.
The MS-13 members, armed with two .38 caliber revolvers, drove around Brentwood and Bay Shore and observed a group of people they believed to be Latin Kings.
Catalan directed two newer MS-13 members to carry out the shooting and gave them the .38 caliber revolvers. The MS-13 members fired multiple shots before running back to the car and fleeing the scene.
Two victims were struck by the gunshots but survived their wounds.
Catalan further admitted that, between January 2015 and February 2016, he and other members of the BLS clique conspired to distribute cocaine and marijuana to help finance the MS-13’s operations.
“Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force and Eastern District of New York, Catalan will be held accountable for his vicious crimes that nearly claimed three lives,” acting Suffolk County Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron.
“The SCPD will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to put an end to gangs in our communities and their senseless violence while continuing to seek justice for MS-13 victims.”
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