BRENTWOOD, N.Y. – A Huntington Station man affiliated with the notorious MS-13 street gang has been convicted for his role in a vicious gang assault that left a 15-year-old boy unconscious and critically injured in an abandoned building on the grounds of the former Pilgrim Psychiatric Center.
Yeison “Yerba” Chavez Campos, 23, was found guilty by a Suffolk County jury on multiple violent felony charges, including Gang Assault and Kidnapping, for his involvement in the January 6, 2024 attack. The conviction marks the final prosecution tied to the case, which involved seven members and associates of the Huntington Criminal Locates Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique of MS-13. All seven have now been convicted.
Prosecutors presented evidence showing that the teenage victim was lured to the Huntington Train Station, where he was surrounded, robbed, and assaulted by Chavez Campos and four other gang members. The group forced the teen into a vehicle and drove him to an abandoned building at the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in Brentwood. There, they escalated the assault, striking him with a brick and stabbing him in the neck before fleeing the scene and leaving him for dead.
Later that same day, the group reportedly returned with shovels and garbage bags to dispose of the body but were unable to locate the victim. Remarkably, the teen had regained consciousness and made his way to a nearby road, where a passerby found him and called 911. He underwent emergency brain surgery, including a craniotomy, to treat a brain bleed and skull fractures. He ultimately survived.
Chavez Campos was convicted on the following charges:
- Gang Assault in the First Degree (Class B violent felony)
- Assault in the First Degree (Class B violent felony)
- Kidnapping in the Second Degree (Class B violent felony)
- Attempted Assault in the First Degree (Class C violent felony)
- Gang Assault in the Second Degree (Class C violent felony)
- Two counts of Robbery in the Second Degree (Class C violent felonies)
- Two counts of Assault in the Second Degree (Class D violent felonies)
His co-defendants – Josue “Shrek” Zepeda Padilla, Brayan “Gucci” Jimenez Avila, Maycoll “Pirata” Ramirez Cerrato, Marcos “Jero” Serpos, Maybelline Garcia Cornejo, and Henry Lemus Nieto – have all previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Chavez Campos is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025, and faces up to 25 years in prison on each of the most serious counts, which could be imposed consecutively. He is being represented by attorney Pierre Bazile.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has lodged an immigration detainer, indicating plans to take custody of Chavez Campos for possible deportation following the completion of his prison sentence. While officials have not disclosed his immigration status, ICE detainers are typically filed for individuals who are not U.S. citizens and are deemed removable under federal immigration law.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Donald Barclay, Kristen E.L. Yeamans, and Elizabeth Moran of the Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau. The investigation was conducted by Detective Sean Walsh of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Third Precinct Detective Squad, with assistance from the Criminal Intelligence Section and Second Precinct Anticrime Team.
Top 10 Questions About the Chavez Campos MS-13 Case
1. Who is Yeison “Yerba” Chavez Campos?
He is a 23-year-old Huntington Station resident and a known member of the Huntington Criminal Locates Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique of the MS-13 gang. He was convicted of kidnapping, gang assault, and robbery in connection with a brutal 2024 attack on a 15-year-old boy.
2. What happened during the attack?
The victim was lured to a train station, robbed, beaten, and then transported to an abandoned building where he was struck with a brick and stabbed. Believing he was dead, the attackers left him. The teen later regained consciousness and survived.
3. Did Chavez Campos act alone?
No. He was one of seven MS-13 members and associates involved in the attack. All seven have now been convicted.
4. What is MS-13?
MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) is a violent international street gang with roots in El Salvador. The gang is known for extreme violence and has a significant presence in parts of Long Island, particularly Suffolk County.
5. Is Chavez Campos a U.S. citizen?
His citizenship status has not been publicly confirmed. However, ICE has lodged a detainer, which typically applies to non-citizens who are subject to removal from the U.S.
6. What is an ICE detainer?
An ICE detainer is a request to local law enforcement to hold an individual in custody after their criminal case concludes so that ICE can take custody for possible deportation.
7. What sentence does Chavez Campos face?
He faces up to 25 years on each of the top counts, and the judge may choose to run those sentences consecutively. He is due back in court on August 20, 2025.
8. How did the victim survive?
After regaining consciousness, the 15-year-old managed to escape the building and collapsed on a roadside, where a Good Samaritan found him and called 911. He underwent emergency brain surgery but survived.
9. What’s happening with the other co-defendants?
The six co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. All were part of the same MS-13 clique as Chavez Campos.
10. What is Suffolk County doing to fight MS-13?
The Suffolk County DA’s office, in coordination with the Suffolk County Police Department and federal agencies, has aggressively prosecuted MS-13 members in recent years. Authorities continue targeting gang activity as a public safety priority.
