Aoc's 'red Light' District Ruled By Violent Migrant Gang Taken Down By Feds

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Several members of a convulsive migrant pack accused of "unleashing terror" to support power of a notorious crime portion represented by progressive Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng person been taken down by constabulary successful a awesome bust.

Eight members of nan ruthless 18th Street transnational pack are accused of carrying retired respective sadistic beatings and stabbings to support their power of nan Roosevelt Avenue commercialized corridor successful Queens. They besides distributed clone passports and counterfeit currency, dealt narcotics and trafficked firearms while extorting businesses for rent payments, prosecutors said.

Seven of nan 8 gangbangers are successful nan state illegally, a spokesperson for nan U.S. Attorney’s Office told Fox News Digital. They are each members and associates of nan 18th Street gang, which was formed by Mexican immigrants successful Los Angeles successful nan 1960s and coming has members passim nan United States arsenic good arsenic successful Mexico and Central America, prosecutors said. 

The suspects "are accused of unleashing panic onto Queens communities done sadistic assaults, extortion, fraud, and supplier trafficking," Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said successful a statement.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. speaking astatine a property briefing announcing nan busts.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. speaking astatine a property briefing announcing nan busts. (US Attorney's Office for nan Eastern District of New York via X @EDNYnews)

AOC, PROGRESSIVES RIPPED FOR IGNORING 'RED LIGHT' DISTRICT AS PROSTITUTION, FILTHY STREETS RETURN

Their turf spanned nan two-mile commercialized strip, which has been a crime and forbidden prostitution basking spot for years and has been extensively reported connected by Fox News Digital. 

Locals person likened it to a "Red Light district" aliases a third-world flea market, fixed nan sidewalks are often afloat of women soliciting activity arsenic good arsenic vendors trading each sorts of stolen aliases counterfeit equipment and unregulated basking food. Fox News Digital witnessed astatine slightest 30 women soliciting activity connected 1 artifact connected nan portion pursuing Ocasio-Cortez’s municipality hallway recently. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

A convulsive pack was taken down successful Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's district. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/GC Images)

The indictment against nan gangbangers, which was unsealed connected June 16, follows a Fox News Digital study from April revealing that section leaders were sounding nan siren astir nan 18th Street Gang sweeping successful to return power of nan area.

The pack had moved successful to capable nan territorial void near by groups for illustration Tren de Aragua, which section leaders said was mostly dismantled aft a awesome wintertime constabulary cognition successful nan area which resulted successful hundreds of arrests.

The section leaders had called connected nan FBI and nan DEA to thief them ace down connected nan criminals who they said had turned their vicinity into a festering "gangland." The 18th Street pack has been tagging their pack insignia astir nan area, marking their turf.

Gang tags on Roosevelt Avenue

Gang tags on Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens successful New York City. (Restore Roosevelt Avenue)

LEADERS IN AOC'S 'RED LIGHT' DISTRICT CALL ON KASH PATEL TO CRUSH 'WORSENING' GANG CRIME AND PROSTITUTION

The arrests appeared to show that nan FBI heeded locals’ calls, pinch those charged being deed pinch various charges, including racketeering charges. One of nan defendants was separately charged pinch illegally possessing a 9mm semiautomatic pistol and ammunition arsenic a non-citizen.

FBI Assistant Director successful Charge of nan New York Field Office Christopher Raia said those arrested carried retired a reign of unit that included assaults connected guiltless civilians and rival pack members successful an effort to asseverate and support power complete Roosevelt Avenue.

"Those arrested… acted and behaved pinch callous and sadistic disregard for those astir them," Raia said of nan multi-agency takedown operation. "Our actions coming correspond yet different illustration of nan FBI’s committedness to crushing nan convulsive transnational gangs plaguing our communities." None of nan suspects are accused of being progressive successful prostitution. 

PHOTOS: Swipe to spot much images

  • A man successful a walker looks connected arsenic 2 alleged activity workers airs connected a thoroughfare corner.

    A man successful a walker looks connected arsenic women airs connected a thoroughfare area connected Roosevelt Avenue. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • An alleged prostitute stands connected a Queens sidewalk connected Roosevelt Avenue.

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    A female stands connected a Queens sidewalk connected Roosevelt Avenue.  (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • Three alleged prostitutes guidelines don a Queens thoroughfare area connected Roosevelt Avenue.

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    Three alleged prostitutes guidelines connected a area connected Roosevelt Avenue.  (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • A man walks past 2 alleged prostitutes successful Queens

    A man walks past 2 alleged prostitutes successful Queens, conscionable disconnected Roosevelt Avenue. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

Former Democrat authorities Senator Hiram Monserrate, who was portion of nan group calling for a national intervention, praised nan takedown. 

"As our Restore Roosevelt Avenue conjugation stated months ago, what was and is still happening connected Roosevelt Avenue is world organized crime involving quality trafficking, shoplifting syndicates and nan distribution of narcotics," Monserrate said.

"Many stood silent, we didn't. Thank you to nan U.S. Attorney's Office and nan FBI. Still overmuch to do!" 

The 18th Street pack is divided into respective "cliques," pinch nan 8 suspects being portion of nan "54 Tiny Locos" faction of nan gang, prosecutors said. 

Prosecutors pointed to 3 sadistic assaults wherever nan pack showed its musculus to asseverate power successful nan area.

Hiram Monserrate protes

Monserrate and different section leaders person been voicing concerns astir pack crime connected nan portion for months.  (Restore Roosevelt Ave.)

In a December 2021 case, 3 suspects assaulted 2 victims extracurricular a barroom connected nan portion aft being asked if they were members of a gang. The gangbangers allegedly smashed a victim's caput unfastened pinch a solid vessel of tequila, leaving him pinch terrible lacerations to his look and nervus damage.

In a January 2022 attack, 2 suspects held a unfortunate down extracurricular a barroom while different perpetrator stabbed him successful nan lung. The 18th Street thugs past attacked a 2nd unfortunate pinch ample woody planks, causing lacerations that required sutures. 

In June 2024, nan pack hit a unfortunate pinch a motorcycle fastener and a metallic chair, among different things, believing he was a personnel of a rival gang.

PHOTOS: Swipe to spot much images

  • Female vendors cooking meet connected a sidewalk.

    Female vendors cooking meet connected a sidewalk. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • A female dumps discarded h2o down a drain connected Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens.

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    A female dumps discarded h2o down a drain connected Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens.  (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • Men trading physics equipment successful Queens, New York City.

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    Men trading physics equipment successful Queens, New York City. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • A man trading drinks nether nan subway tracks connected Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens, New York City.

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    A man trading drinks nether nan subway tracks connected Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens, New York City. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • Street vendors trading various items successful Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens, New York City.

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    Street vendors trading various items successful Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens, New York City. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

  • A man trading various items successful Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens, New York City.

    A man trading various items successful Roosevelt Avenue successful Queens, New York City. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

Meng praised rule enforcement for moving to combat pack unit successful nan area. Ocasio-Cortez’s agency did not respond to a petition for comment. 

"As I’ve continued to say, nationalist information must ever beryllium a apical privilege successful our communities and vulnerable criminals who perpetrate convulsive crimes must beryllium held accountable," Meng said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. "This includes ANYBODY responsible for these types of heinous activity."

The troubled portion has been a magnet for crime for years.

WATCH: New York City artifact becomes open-air brothel

NYPD Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry told Fox News Digital successful May that issues for illustration adultery person permeated nan area for decades and he remembers it being a basking spot for adultery successful nan '90s. Daughtry said nan migrant situation exacerbated nan business arsenic galore migrants were drawn to nan area, fixed that it already has a ample Latin American population.  

In October, Mayor Eric Adams spearheaded a dense constabulary clampdown called Operation Restore Roosevelt, which consisted of much than 200 further constabulary officers that reduced crime by 29% successful nan area, Daughtry said.

Daughtry said 15 brothels were raided retired of 30 tribunal filings made by nan police. For instance, days aft Ocasio-Cortez’s municipality hall, authorities unopen down a notorious brothel dubbed nan "bodega brothel" by locals, which was operating supra a area shop adjacent 2 schools successful Ocasio-Cortez's district. 

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Video from wrong nan feline location obtained by Fox News Digital shows squalid conditions, pinch 5 cramped, makeshift rooms sectioned disconnected by woody panels and ablution curtains pinch conscionable capable room to fresh a furniture successful each 1 of them.

Several different brothels person been unopen down since then.

New York Reps. Grace Meng and Alexandria Ocasio

New York Reps. Grace Meng and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. ( Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, left, David Dee Delgado/Getty Images, right.)

The takedown was a multi-agency cognition involving nan FBI’s New York Field Office, nan U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York, nan Queens District Attorney’s Office pinch assistance from Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, nan Secret Service and nan Labor Department.

The suspects are Felix Bonilla Ramos, 36; Uriel Lopez, 30; Refugio Martinez, 32; Margarito Ortega, 38; Orlando Ramirez, 24; German Rodriguez, 34; David Vasquez Corona, 29; and Marco Vidal Mendez, 36. Only Rodriguez has ineligible position successful nan United States.

WATCH: Brothel crossed from schoolhouse successful AOC's territory unopen down

Michael Dorgan is simply a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business.

You tin nonstop tips to michael.dorgan@fox.com and travel him connected Twitter @M_Dorgan.

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