The federal government will seek the death penalty for the alleged MS-13 gang member who is accused of killing two Brentwood, Long Island, teenagers in 2016.
President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr made the announcement at a press conference Wednesday morning.
If convicted and executed, 25-year-old Alexi Saenz would be the first New Yorker the federal government put to death since 1954.
Saenz is charged with the murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, who were killed with machetes.
Barr also announced eight other alleged MS-13 members now face federal murder charges for six murders in Nassau County. They too could face the death penalty.
The announcement of the crackdown comes two days after the Supreme Court cleared the execution of the first federal inmate since 2003.
