Feds Crack Down on AOC's 'Red Light' District Controlled by Violent Illegal Alien Gang

Several members of a violent illegal alien gang accused of “unleashing terror” in radical Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez’s (D-NY) district have been arrested in a major federal operation.

The gang is accused of controlling a notorious crime strip in Queens, New York City.

The area is represented by Ocasio‑Cortez and her fellow progressive Democrat Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY).

Eight members of the ruthless 18th Street foreign gang were indicted for carrying out brutal beatings and stabbings.

The wave of violence sought to maintain control over the Roosevelt Avenue commercial corridor, officials said.

The gang also allegedly trafficked in fake passports, counterfeit currency, drugs, firearms, and extorted businesses for “rent payments.”

Prosecutors noted that “seven of the eight gangbangers are in the country illegally.”

In a statement, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said:

“These suspects are accused of unleashing terror onto Queens communities through brutal assaults, extortion, fraud, and drug trafficking.”

Roosevelt Avenue is dubbed a “Red Light district” or “third‑world flea market” by residents.

It has long been a crime and prostitution hotspot, according to Fox News.

One recent Fox report documented at least 30 women soliciting sex on a single block shortly after Ocasio‑Cortez’s town hall event.

The unsealing of the indictment on June 16 follows a Fox story earlier this year, which revealed local leaders’ urgent pleas for federal intervention after the 18th Street gang moved in to fill the void left by the now-dismantled Tren de Aragua network.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office Christopher Raia praised the operation, stating:

“Those arrested … acted and behaved with callous and cruel disregard for those around them.

“Our actions today represent yet another example of the FBI’s commitment to crushing the violent transnational gangs plaguing our communities.”

Former Democrat state Senator Hiram Monserrate, who helped lead calls for federal action, praised the bust:

“As our Restore Roosevelt Avenue coalition stated months ago, what was and is still happening on Roosevelt Avenue is international organized crime involving human trafficking, shoplifting syndicates and the distribution of narcotics …

“Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. Still much to do!”

The eight suspects, identified as members of the gang’s “54 Tiny Locos” faction, face a range of federal charges, including racketeering.

One illegal alien defendant additionally faces firearm possession charges for illegally possessing a 9mm semi‑automatic pistol and ammunition.

Prosecutors detailed three shocking assaults:

December 2021: Three gang members allegedly smashed a victim’s head with a tequila bottle outside a bar, causing severe lacerations and nerve damage.

January 2022: Suspects subdued a man and stabbed him in the lung, then struck another victim with wooden planks, requiring multiple sutures.

June 2024: Gang members attacked a rival suspect with a bike lock and a metal chair.

Meng praised law enforcement’s efforts, saying:

“As I’ve continued to say, public safety must always be a top priority in our communities, and dangerous criminals who commit violent crimes must be held accountable.

“This includes ANYBODY responsible for these types of heinous activity.”

Ocasio‑Cortez’s office did not comment, however.

NYPD Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Kaz Daughtry, reflecting on long-standing issues in the area, said in a statement earlier this year that prostitution has “permeated the area for decades” and recent migrant inflows intensified already struggling conditions.

He credited the October “Operation Restore Roosevelt,” which added over 200 officers and reduced crime by 29%, for improvements, including shutting down 15 illicit brothels, one notorious “bodega brothel” located above a corner store near two schools.

This federal sweep was carried out by the FBI’s New York Field Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of New York, Queens DA’s Office, Homeland Security, ICE, the Secret Service, and the Labor Department.

The move signals a renewed commitment to law and order in the area.