MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 55 Years for Role in Park Killings

A member of the ruthless MS-13 gang, known as the “Anti-Christ,” has been sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for his involvement in the brutal killings of four young men in a Long Island park.

Omar Antonio Viralta, 29, received this lengthy sentence on Wednesday for conspiring with other gang members to execute a violent attack in Central Islip on April 11, 2017. This information comes from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Viralta, identified by his alias “Anti-Christ,” is among several individuals tied to the murder of four 20-year-olds: Michael Lopez, 16-year-old Justin Livikra, and 18-year-olds Jorge Tigre and Jefferson Villarobos.

More than a dozen MS-13 members, who mistakenly thought the victims were rivals, have faced charges related to this horrific crime, according to prosecutors.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nosera stated, “My office and our law enforcement partners have worked tirelessly to hold MS-13 accountable for the horrific acts of violence that have impacted countless victims and their families.”

He added, “These convictions reflect our unwavering commitment to dismantle MS-13 and other violent groups.”

On that fateful day, two female MS-13 associates lured the four men into a wooded area near the community park, where Viralta and other gang members awaited. Viralta distributed machetes, knives, and other weapons while some gang members fashioned makeshift clubs from branches.

The group viciously attacked the young men, leaving their bodies in the woods before escaping the scene.

Following the murders, Viralta fled to Charlottesville, Virginia, where he subsequently murdered Marvin Rivera Guebara on July 3, 2017.

In a particularly disturbing incident, prosecutors revealed that gang members took Gabara into the forest under the pretense of smoking marijuana and meeting someone, where he was also killed with machetes and knives. The gang later disposed of his internal organs by throwing them into a river from a nearby bridge.

Viralta pleaded guilty to charges related to all five murders in March 2023. Prosecutors emphasized how he acted as judge, jury, and executioner, handing out death sentences to those perceived as threats to the gang.

“These heinous acts reflect a complete disregard for life, underscoring the gang’s brutal tactics,” officials noted. They reaffirmed their dedication to dismantling these violent organizations.

Earlier this year, when President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border, he designated MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization.