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Kevin Lopez-Morales, age 23, of Roosevelt, was sentenced on Tuesday, Aug. 31, to 24 years to life in prison, Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce Smith announced.
Lopez-Morales pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder on Sept. 9, 2019.
"Kevin Lopez-Morales and his co-defendants acted as friends to two young men but lured them to their deaths over perceived slights to MS-13,” Smith said. “MS-13 has left behind many grieving families on Long Island, but their attempts to destroy our community have not and will not be successful."
On Sept. 4 of 2016, Lopez-Morales and others struck 19-year-old Josue Amaya Leonor with a machete multiple times and killed him, Smith said.
The DA's Office said the defendants buried Leonor's body in a wooded area in the Roosevelt Preserve. His body was recovered in May of 2018.
Smith also reported that Lopez-Morales and others murdered 15-year-old Angel Soler on July 21, 2017.
His remains were discovered under cement in a remote wooded area in Roosevelt in October of 2017.
Smith said Angel's injuries were consistent with the use of a machete.
Co-defendant David Sosa-Guevera was sentenced to 24 years to life in prison in Angel's murder. Co-defendents Victor Lopez and Dennis Lopez were each sentenced to 23 years to life in prison.
Lopez-Morales was arrested by Nassau County Police on Sept. 6 of 2018, Smith said.
The cases against his co-defendants in the murder of Leonor are pending.
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