DA: Guilty plea in 2017 MS-13 killing

A Hempstead man has pleaded guilty to murder for his role in the MS-13-related killing of a teen found hacked to death in the Massapequa Preserve in 2017.

Nassau District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said Kevin Granados-Coreas, 23, also known as "Lonely," pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree conspiracy on Wednesday before Judge Helene Gugerty. He is expected to be sentenced to 23 years to life in prison on May 13.

Authorities said Granados-Coreas is the latest in a line of MS-13 gang members to be held responsible for the killing of Julio Cesar Espantzay-Gonzales, 19, who was reported missing on Jan. 31, 2017, and whose body was found by a dog walker on March 23, 2017, inside the preserve.

Antonio Cullal, also known as "Duke," and Raul Ponce, known as "Shadow," were previously sentenced in connection with the case — Cullal to 20 years to life in prison, Ponce to 32 years to life.

Three others, Carlos Portillo, known as "Pikachu;" Robert Abrego-Reyes, known as "Splinter;" and Gerson Stanley Juarez, known as "Angel Black;" have pending cases against them, the District Attorney's Office said.

According to the indictment against them, Portillo and Abrego-Reyes ordered the killing of Espantzay-Gonzales because they believed he was an "enemy" of MS-13.

The investigation into the killing determined Espantzay-Gonzales was "lured" to the preserve on Jan. 28, 2017, with promises of sex and marijuana, and that once there, he was hacked to death with machetes by Granados-Coreas, Cullal, Ponce and Juarez, authorities said.

The group disposed of the body beneath tree branches, leaves and brush, authorities said.

“Kevin Granados-Coreas worked with Julio Cesar Espantzay-Gonzales and befriended him at a restaurant at the Green Acres Mall," Donnelly said in a statement, adding: "He then convinced the young man to join him in the Massapequa Park Preserve to smoke marijuana and hang out with girls. The defendant marked the victim for death by telling his fellow MS-13 members that Espantzay-Gonzales was their ‘enemy.’ Once inside the park, the victim was mercilessly hacked to death and his body was dragged to nearby brush.” 

Granados-Coreas was arrested by Nassau County police Homicide Squad detectives on Aug. 15, 2017.

His attorney, Martin Goldberg of Franklin Square, declined to comment Friday evening.

With Keldy Ortiz

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”