Victor Lopez, an MS-13 gang member known as “Curioso,” has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for his role in the 2019 murder of Abel Mosso on a crowded No. 7 subway platform in Jackson Heights, Queens. Lopez, an El Salvadoran national, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to racketeering and causing Mosso’s death with a firearm, and will be deported after his sentence. He is the fifth individual convicted in connection with Mosso’s murder to receive a sentence.
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella, Jr., emphasized the severity of the crime. “The defendant is deservedly punished for participating in a targeted killing of a perceived gang rival that was carried out in broad daylight on a subway platform, which also endangered the lives of numerous bystanders going about their business,” Nocella said. He added that eradicating local and transnational gangs is a priority for his office.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge, James C. Barnacle, Jr., highlighted the gang's disregard for public safety. “MS-13 member Victor Lopez participated in the public execution of a perceived rival with complete disregard for human life or innocent New Yorkers,” Barnacle said. Pete Gizas, Acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI New York, described the murder as a "brazen depravity" designed to instill fear. NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch also commented, stating, “Today’s sentencing decision reflects the ongoing efforts of NYPD investigators to take down violent gangs, remove guns from our streets, and keep communities safe.”
The murder occurred on February 3, 2019, when Lopez and fellow MS-13 members Ramiro Gutierrez, Tito Martinez-Alvarenga, Emerson Martinez-Lara, and Ismael Santos-Novoa sought out Mosso, believing him to be an 18th Street gang member. Lopez and Martinez-Alvarenga assaulted Mosso on the No. 7 train before dragging him onto the 90th Street and Roosevelt Avenue station platform. As a crowd gathered, one defendant shouted in Spanish, “Nobody get involved. We’re MS-13. We’re going to kill him.” Gutierrez then seized a gun from Mosso and shot him multiple times, killing him. Lopez later burned his clothing to evade detection.
Four other defendants have also been sentenced for their involvement in Mosso’s murder and other gang-related crimes. Gutierrez received 55 years, Martinez-Alvarenga 48 years, Santos-Novoa 24 years, and Martinez-Lara 18 years. These prosecutions are part of a broader federal effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the Homeland Security Task Force to combat MS-13, which has led to hundreds of convictions since 2003.