A Central Islip federal court sentenced Leniz Escobar, 24, to 50 years in prison for her critical role in the 2017 massacre of four young men by MS-13 gang members. Escobar, known as "Diablita" or "Little Devil," was described by Judge Joseph Bianco as "willingly and enthusiastically" participating in the brutal killings. She was convicted in 2022 of one count of racketeering and four counts of murder in aid of racketeering.
During her sentencing, Escobar expressed remorse, saying, "Every breath reminds me that they are not here." But the families of the victims were unmoved. Bertha Ullaguari, the mother of one of the victims, stated through a translator that Escobar "deserves the death penalty."
Defense attorney Jesse Siegel argued for a lighter sentence, highlighting the abuse and exploitation Escobar faced growing up and her positive changes while in custody. Despite this, the prosecution emphasized her continued ties to MS-13 and her initiation of the violent attack. Assistant US Attorney Megan Farrell made it clear that Escobar's actions were pivotal, saying, "Without her, these murders would not have occurred." (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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