MS-13 members busted for Queens subway shooting held without bail

New York Post
By Georgett Roberts and Natalie Musumeci

FEB. 22, 2019

Two reputed MS-13 gang members accused in the broad-daylight fatal shooting of a rival on a Queens subway platform were ordered held without bail Friday.

Tito Martinez-Alvarenga, 19, and Victor Lopez, 20, were both remanded at their arraignments in Queens Criminal Court on charges of second-degree murder, gang assault, kidnapping and criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors say the two suspects attacked shooting victim Abel Mosso, a purported affiliate of the rival 18th Street Gang, kicking him and dragging him off a No. 7 train before fellow gangbanger Ramiro Gutierrez shot Mosso dead.

“These defendants…approached the victim on the subway car. They attacked the victim. They dragged him out of the subway onto the subway platform while the victim screamed for help,” said Assistant District Attorney Bryan Kotowski of the District Attorney’s Homicide Investigations Bureau.

“They threw the victim on the ground,” Kotowski said.

Martinez-Alvarenga’s lawyer, Michael Paul – speaking outside of court – called the charges “very serious” but insisted that his client was not involved in the attack.

“At this time, we’re maintaining that he was just present at the scene,” Paul said.