42 arrested in 4 days in one of Nassau County's largest gang takedown operations
NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) -- Officials in Nassau County said they have arrested 42 people over four days in one of the largest gang takedowns in the county's history.
The arrests took place last week between Wednesday and Sunday for a variety of crimes, including attempted murder, assault and robbery.
The defendants allegedly attacked victims with knives, machetes and pipes in two incidents from 2024, including a machete attack at a soccer game last October and another at a laundromat in December.
Of the 42 arrested, officials say 25 were gang members -- mostly MS-13.
"We want to send a clear message in Nassau County that gang activity will not be tolerated," said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
On Tuesday, Blakeman was joined by members of ICE, Nassau County police and the district attorney's office.
"These arrests are a testament to how committed we are in Nassau County to dismantling gangs and their toxic influence in our communities," said District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Guns, knives, machetes and even miniature axes were seized during the takedown.
Officials say 33 of the offenders are now in ICE custody without bond, pending removal.
"If there was somebody that was apprehended, and that individual was going to be released because of the cashless bail laws, we notified ICE, came and picked them up, so that they would not continue to do harm to our community," Blakeman said.
ICE enforcement removal operations assistant director Brian Flanagan said "some of ICE's worst of the worst was captured here in Nassau County."
A spike in gang crimes, like shootings and stabbings, prompted the takedown.
Nassau police say the most egregious was a robbery and attempted murder at Hempstead's Kennedy Park.
"Four MS-13 guys confronted a kid who suffered from a little cognitive issues, they confronted him as he was an 18th Street Gang Member, the kid was not," said Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
Ryder said the gang members chased the victim on foot for two miles into Roosevelt until he made it to safety. Police say they arrested two of the four suspects.
"I'm going to take you back to 2017 when MS-13 was killing gang members, other gang members or those that refused to join the gang, and you remember we covered about nine bodies buried throughout Nassau County all been hacked up, decapitated and buried in shallow graves."
Police say overall gang violence is down.
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