Posted on: June 14, 2025 02:20 PM

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Alleged Tren De Aragua Members Indicted for May 2024 Attempted Murder and Robbery

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly and Nassau County Police Department Commissioner Patrick Ryder announced that two alleged members of the international criminal organization Tren de Aragua were indicted for an attempted murder and robbery of a woman walking home from work on Front Street in Hempstead in May 2024.

Frederick Morillo Chavez, 21, of New York, NY, and Bernardo Raul Castro Mata, 20, of East Elmhurst, New York, were arraigned before Judge Robert McDonald on grand jury indictment charges of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (a B violent felony); two counts of Robbery in the First Degree (a B violent felony); Attempted Assault in the First Degree (a C violent felony); three counts of Robbery in the Second Degree (a C violent felony); two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C violent felony); two counts of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the First Degree (a C violent felony); two counts of Assault in the Second Degree (a D violent felony); two counts of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the Second Degree (a D violent felony); Robbery in the Third Degree (an E felony); Criminal Possession of a Firearm (an E felony); Menacing in the Second Degree (an A misdemeanor); and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree (an A misdemeanor).

Morillo Chavez was arraigned on the indictment on June 4, 2025. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded. He is due back in court on July 15, 2025, and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Castro Mata was arraigned today, pleaded not guilty and was remanded. He is due back in court on July 7, 2025, and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted. 

“We have seen an increase in gang activity associated with Tren de Aragua in New York City over the past year, and now, my office is prosecuting the first case associated with this international criminal outfit in Nassau County,” said DA Donnelly. “These defendants allegedly stalked a woman on her way home from work on a moped, cornered her with a gun, and robbed her. When she fought back, they callously shot her, thankfully only striking her in the arm. Together with our partners at the Nassau County Police Department, we have stamped out violence from other dangerous gangs like MS-13 and dramatically decreased their presence and their acts of brutality in our communities. Tren de Aragua is no different. My office will aggressively pursue any criminal activity this gang commits in our communities and put their members behind bars.”

“We do not tolerate gang violence in Nassau County,” said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. “Thanks to the brilliant work of the Third Precinct Detective Squad working in partnership with the District Attorney’s Office, these violent dangerous criminals are off the streets and will face justice. Tren de Aragua is a vicious criminal organization, and the men and women of the Nassau County Police Department will never stop fighting to keep the residents of this county safe from this brutal gang.”

DA Donnelly said, according to the indictment, on May 22, 2024, at approximately 12:35 a.m., the female victim was coming home from work and got off a bus near a parking lot on Front Street in Hempstead.

The woman was walking through the parking lot when Morillo Chavez and Castro Mata allegedly came up behind her on a moped.

The victim crossed through the parking lot and made her way down the sidewalk when the defendants allegedly circled back around on their moped and followed her.

Morillo Chavez and Castro Mata stopped the moped near the victim. Castro Mata jumped off and allegedly pointed a gun at the victim and attempted to take her bags that contained multiple items, including AirPods, a debit card, portable chargers and an iPhone charger.

Castro Mata and the victim allegedly struggled over one bag when the victim screamed and eventually let go. Castro Mata allegedly took the bag and brought it back to the moped, where Morillo Chavez was waiting. He then returned to the victim and grabbed the victim’s lunch bag.

When the victim would not let go, Castro Mata allegedly shot the victim in her right arm. The victim dropped her lunch bag, and Morillo Chavez sped off with Castro Mata and the victim’s two bags.

Both defendants are alleged members of the international criminal organization Tren de Aragua.

Morillo Chavez was arrested by detectives from the NCPD 3rd Squad on May 16, 2025.

Castro Mata was arrested by detectives from the NCPD 3rd Squad on June 10, 2025.

Castro Mata had been incarcerated in New York City where he was held on charges brought by the Queens County District Attorney’s Office in June 2024 of Attempted Murder in the First and Second Degrees related to a shooting of two New York City Police Officers who attempted to pull him over on a moped on June 3, 2024, less than two weeks after the shooting in Hempstead.

Castro Mata was sentenced in the Queens County District Attorney’s case on June 10, 2025, to 28 years in prison.

From DA