Man brought to Queens on murder charges in gang-related killing, officials say

A 19-year-old Queens man was extradited from Maryland earlier this week on charges he others killed another teenager in February in what NYPD investigators believe was a gang-related slaying, officials said.

Yoni Alexander Sierra-Palma was arraigned on Thursday in Queens Criminal Court on second degree murder and weapons possession charges stemming from the killing of Oscar Antonio Blanco-Hernandez of Elizabeth, 19, New Jersey, on Feb. 2, according to an NYPD spokesman.

In a criminal court complaint, police alleged that Sierra-Palma and another men picked up the victim in Elizabeth as he left his home. Surveillance video captured Sierra-Palma about six hours later leaving a laundry at 170-08 Jamaica Avenue in Queens with three other men, the complaint says.

According to the complaint, Sierra-Palma was later seen walking at 87 Avenue and 143rd Street in Jamaica with two other men, one of whom presumably was Blanco-Hernandez. Additional surveillance video shows the men walking and shots being fired, police said. The complaint doesn’t say if the shooting was actually captured on the video.

Later, Sierra-Palma, who resides in Jamaica, and one other man were seen on surveillance videos walking quickly shortly after the shots were fired, the complaint said. NYPD officials said they believed the killing was gang related and possibly connected to MS-13.

After his arraignment, Sierra-Palma was ordered held without bail, said a spokeswoman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.