Queens Gang Leader Pleads Guilty to Role in Teen's 2016 Execution

Junior Zelaya Canales, a regional leader of the 18th Street gang, admitted to ordering the murder of 15-year-old Joshua Guzman and faces life imprisonment.

• Junior Zelaya Canales, also known as 'Terco,' pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges tied to multiple murders, including the 2016 killing of Joshua Guzman in Hempstead, New York.
• Guzman, 15, was executed after being lured out by gang members following orders from Zelaya Canales, who perceived the teen as disrespectful to the gang.
• Zelaya Canales is the ninth and final defendant to plead guilty in a sweeping federal investigation into the violent activities of the international 18th Street gang.
• The gang's criminal activities spanned murder, drug and weapons trafficking, extortion, and more, with Zelaya Canales controlling operations across the New York City metropolitan area.
• Sentencing is scheduled for July 2025, with Zelaya Canales and other convicted gang members facing potential life imprisonment for their roles in the gang's violent crimes.

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