Recent court records reveal that Enrique Portillo, a member of the well-known gang MS-13, has decided to plead guilty to multiple criminal charges after participating in a violent murder and arson spree. Reports detail that the gang member was colloquially referred to as “Oso” and “Turkey” during his time in the gang where he participated in several criminal activities.

Right now, Enrique is admitting to participating in four murders, four attempted murders, arson, racketeering, and possessing illegal firearms. As a result of his combined crimes, it’s very likely that Enrique will serve out a life sentence.

Enrique admitted that in 2016 he discharged a firearm at a group of men in Brentwood, New York. At the time, he believed the other individuals to be members of a rival gang. He also admitted to using a machete against the men, which caused severe disfigurement to one of the victims. Later on in that same year, he admitted to setting fire to a car that was parked in Brentwood. Again, he said he committed this act against someone he believed was a rival gang member.

In September of 2016, Portillo admitted to murdering two teenagers in Brentwood. He said that he targeted the two girls after a dispute between rival gangs led to a violent altercation at a high school. The murders were extremely brutal, as Portillo attacked the minors with a baseball bat and a machete.

Just one month later, he killed Dewann Stacks. Portillo says he believed the victim to be a rival gang member. He was also killed with a baseball bat and a machete. In early 2017, Portillo murdered Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla. Once again, he claimed he believed the person to be a member of a rival gang.

Unfortunately, this violent streak continued even after Portillo was arrested. He attempted to murder two inmates while in custody in both 2017 and 2019.

When Is it Beneficial to Plead Guilty to Criminal Charges?

Clearly, Portillo is implicated in a string of violent, inexcusable acts of violence. Evidence against the suspect is significant, and there was very little the defendant could do to attempt to defend himself against the various charges he’s faced with. Even worse, his actions once he was behind bars only further implicated himself.

In situations like this, it might make the most sense for the culprit to plead guilty.

There are other situations when pleading guilty is in your best interests, though. Pleading guilty doesn’t mean you’re not defending yourself legally. For instance, you may be able to work out a better deal with a Prosecutor if you agree to plead guilty to a reduced or lessened charge. By doing so, you could secure a reduced sentence. This strategy can be very effective when there’s a lot of evidence against you and you know you committed the crime.

You want to make sure you’re making the right decision if you’re considering pleading guilty, though. Before making such a choice, talk to a lawyer.

If you’re in Brooklyn or a nearby area, then we want to hear from you. Schedule a case review with our legal team to learn more about your legal options moving forward.