Officials say a Hempstead MS-13 gang member has been sentenced to nine years to life in prison for his role in the murder of a Uniondale teenager in a Massapequa Park Preserve in 2016.

Samuel Ponce, 20, of Hempstead, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2021 to murder in the second-degree.

According to officials, the maximum sentence for Ponce, was 15 years to life in prison because at the time of the crime he was 15 years old.

“Bryan Lemus’ life was violently cut short when he was ambushed and murdered with machetes by Samuel Ponce and other members of MS-13,” said Acting DA Joyce Smith. “NCDA continues its work to rid Nassau County of this ruthless gang violence and ensure that these dangerous individuals are taken off our streets. I thank our partners at the Nassau County Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and FBI Long Island Gang Task Force for their assistance in this case.”

Smith says on Aug. 23, 2016, Lemus, a perceived enemy of MS-13, was walking his dog on Arthur Street in Uniondale when he was lured into the Massapequa Preserve. While inside the park, Lemus was allegedly killed with machetes by Ponce and other members of MS-13.

Lemus’ body was found on May 24, 2019, in a shallow grave inside the Massapequa Preserve by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Bureau during a canvass of the area.

Ponce was arrested by the NCPD on Sept. 17, 2019 following the investigation.