Overview

• Two teenage members of Los Diablos de la 42, an underage offshoot of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua gang, were arrested on May 14 for their involvement in the May 4 assault of a 16-year-old autistic boy in Staten Island.
• The gang members attacked the boy at a bus stop, leaving him bloodied and stealing his belongings, before two suspects, aged 15 and 16, were charged with robbery; two others remain at large.
• The victim’s mother has publicly called for tougher prosecution, expressing frustration over the perceived leniency of current juvenile justice policies.
• Law enforcement officials link Los Diablos de la 42 to over 400 arrests in New York City since 2022, with crimes including robbery, assault, and larceny, often targeting vulnerable individuals.
• Critics argue that New York's Raise the Age and bail reforms, which limit detention for underage offenders, enable recurring criminal activity by gang-affiliated youth.