SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. – A Huntington Station man tied to the MS-13 street gang has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a violent attack that nearly killed a 15-year-old boy in Brentwood.
Josue Zepeda Padilla, 28, known as “Shrek,” received the sentence on September 25, 2025, after pleading guilty in July to gang assault, first-degree assault, first-degree robbery, and second-degree kidnapping. He will also serve five years of post-release supervision.
The case stemmed from a January 6, 2024, attack in which Zepeda Padilla and other members of the Huntington Criminal Locotes Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique of MS-13 lured a teenage victim to the Huntington Train Station. There, the group robbed him, beat him until he fell to the ground, and forced him into a vehicle.
The teen was taken to the abandoned Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in Brentwood, where the attackers put a hood over his head, beat him again, struck him with a rock, and stabbed him in the neck. The assailants left the boy unconscious on the floor of the building.
Despite life-threatening injuries – including a fractured skull and brain bleed that required emergency surgery – the victim survived. He managed to escape the building and was later discovered by a passerby who called 911.
After the assault, Zepeda Padilla fled Suffolk County and remained at large for more than a year before being tracked down in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, by the U.S. Marshals Service and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.
He is one of seven defendants convicted in connection with the attack:
- Yeison “Yerba” Chavez received 52 years in prison after a jury trial.
- Brayan “Gucci” Jimenez Avila pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years.
- Maycoll “Pirata” Ramirez Cerrato, Marcos “Jero” Serpos, Maybelline Garcia Cornejo, and Henry Lemus Nieto have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Zepeda Padilla was represented by attorney Anthony Rutkowski. The prosecution was led by Assistant District Attorneys Donald Barclay, Kristen E.L. Yeamans, and Elizabeth Moran of the DA’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau. The investigation involved Suffolk County Police detectives and intelligence units.
District Attorney Raymond Tierney said the lengthy sentence reflects the brutality of the crime and the coordinated effort of law enforcement to hold those responsible accountable.
This coordinated attack nearly cost a child his life. This defendant and his associates showed no mercy when they brutally assaulted, kidnapped, and left a 15-year-old unconscious in an abandoned building,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Today’s sentence ensures this defendant will spend the next two decades in prison. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners whose tireless work made this prosecution possible.”
Gang Assault of Suffolk Teen
| Key Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Defendant | Josue “Shrek” Zepeda Padilla, 28, Huntington Station |
| Gang Affiliation | MS-13, Huntington Criminal Locotes Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique |
| Date of Crime | January 6, 2024 |
| Location | Huntington Train Station and Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, Brentwood, NY |
| Victim | 15-year-old boy (survived with severe injuries) |
| Charges | Gang Assault 1st Degree, Assault 1st Degree, Robbery 1st Degree, Kidnapping 2nd Degree |
| Sentence | 20 years in prison + 5 years post-release supervision |
| Co-Defendants | Yeison “Yerba” Chavez (52 yrs), Brayan “Gucci” Jimenez Avila (10 yrs), Maycoll “Pirata” Ramirez Cerrato, Marcos “Jero” Serpos, Maybelline Garcia Cornejo, Henry Lemus Nieto |
Q&A Section
What is Gang Assault in the First Degree?
Gang Assault in the First Degree is a Class B violent felony under New York law. It applies when a person, along with two or more others, intentionally causes serious physical injury to another person. It carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Why was extradition necessary?
After the attack, Zepeda Padilla fled New York and remained on the run for more than a year. He was located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and extradited back to Suffolk County to face charges.
How severe were the victim’s injuries?
The teen suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed that required a craniotomy (surgical removal of part of the skull) and other treatments. Despite the severity, he survived.
What is MS-13?
MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, is a violent transnational street gang with a significant presence on Long Island. Members have been linked to assaults, robberies, and homicides, often targeting young people.
What happens next for the other defendants?
Several of Zepeda Padilla’s co-defendants have already been sentenced, while others who pleaded guilty are awaiting final sentencing decisions.
