The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a stern warning to transnational gangs that have turned a bustling commercial strip in the district of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez into a crime-ridden hotspot.
The area, plagued by illegal prostitution, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and violence, is under the FBI's radar for a major crackdown.
Christopher Raia, the FBI's assistant director in charge of the New York office, revealed in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that multiple squads have been deployed to patrol the troubled two-mile strip along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. The area is also represented by Representative Grace Meng, a progressive Democrat like Ocasio-Cortez.
Raia emphasized the bureau's aggressive collaboration with the New York Police Department (NYPD) to dismantle the gangs' hierarchy, a strategy he likened to "cutting off the head of the snake."
This development follows repeated appeals from local leaders to FBI Director Kash Patel to eradicate the ruthless gangs. Residents, concerned about the rampant crime, have been staging weekly protests outside establishments they identify as brothels operating under the guise of beauty salons.
The neighborhood, heavily populated by immigrants, is often referred to as a red-light district and is marred by unsanitary conditions and illegal vendors selling unregulated food and suspected stolen goods.
Earlier this summer, a significant FBI-led operation resulted in the arrest of eight members of the 18th Street gang, accused of perpetrating several brutal beatings and stabbings to maintain their dominance of the strip. The 18th Street gang, which originated as a street crew in Los Angeles in the 1960s, is predominantly composed of Hispanic and Latino members.
"What happened in June was only the tip of the iceberg. We have only just begun out there," Raia told Fox News Digital. He issued a stark warning to the gangs, stating, "We have infiltrated you. We are watching you. And someday down the line, you will go to jail."
Raia, the bureau's top official in New York, was appointed to his role in April and has prioritized Roosevelt Avenue, aligning his mission with Patel's broader strategy of "crushing" violent crime in major cities. "One of the first letters I received was from the local officials in that area talking about the crime problem," Raia said.
"And so, to those local officials who sent us those letters again, we hear you. We are working relentlessly there to keep that community safe."
In addition to the 18th Street gang, Raia disclosed that several Asian gangs are also operating in the area. "Were getting a lot of intelligence about Asian gangsand of course, youve got other neighborhood-based street gangs and different associates there that obviously were concerned about," he said. Locals also report the presence of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and MS-13.
Raia, who previously served in Washington as a deputy assistant director overseeing counterterrorism, outlined the wide range of criminal activities the Roosevelt Avenue gangs are involved in, including armed robbery, assaults, sex trafficking, and narcotics and weapons trafficking. He also noted that the gangs profit from prostitution, with many of the women working along Roosevelt Avenue likely being trafficking victims.
Meanwhile, a Queens grand jury recently indicted a 31-year-old woman on sex trafficking charges tied to at least two women, including one she allegedly brought from Mexico in 2022. Prosecutors claim Valezka Echeverrias forced the victim into prostitution on Roosevelt Avenue for $800 a night and physically abused her when she failed to meet quotas.
Echeverrias had already been indicted last year for allegedly forcing a transgender woman into prostitution and attempting to extort another victim.
Fox News Digital reported witnessing at least 30 women appearing to solicit sex on one block on the strip earlier this year following Ocasio-Cortezs town hall. Recent incidents of violence in the area include a man being stabbed multiple times in the back on the subway above Roosevelt Avenue and a driver fatally striking a 16-year-old girl on the strip.
Raia warned the gangs to prepare for raids, which will be executed when the bureau is ready to strike. "There is a ton of work going on behind the scenes," he said. "You wont see us overtly until were getting ready to do a take-down of multiple members of the gang."
One of the biggest frustrations for locals has been the persistence of brothels and the revolving door of suspects who are arrested only to return to the streets. A massive 90-day police crackdown on crime in the area late last year temporarily reduced criminal activity, but the respite was short-lived, according to residents.
Raia contrasted the FBI's enforcement approach with that of the NYPD, noting that while NYPD cases often lead to quick arrests and lighter penalties, federal prosecutions allow the FBI to bring much tougher charges. Statutes covering racketeering, human trafficking, narcotics, and weapons trafficking carry stiffer sentences and keep offenders behind bars longer.
Former Democratic state Sen. Hiram Monserrate, who has been organizing the weekly rallies against the brothels with his Restore Roosevelt Avenue Coalition and wrote to Patel, welcomed news of increased FBI enforcement. "Because of organized crime, weve become the Walmart of the illegal sex trade in New York City and a haven for criminal operations," said Monserrate, a former police officer.
He recalled the strip as a criminal hub in the 1990s before the NYPD cracked down, but said todays wave of crime is unprecedented.
Meng also welcomed the news and said she has pressed for more federal resources. "These include measures to prosecute human trafficking, combat violent crime and gangs and boost funding for state and local law enforcement," Meng told Fox News Digital.
"I am also seeking federal money to support local initiatives, such as a request for a mobile command center. As Ive said and continue to say, public safety and quality of life must be a top priority."
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