Alleged gang member pleads guilty to Freeport park killing, aiming loaded gun at detective

An alleged MS-13 member pleaded guilty Tuesday to murdering an 18-year-old man who was a perceived enemy of the street gang and for pointing a loaded gun at a Nassau County police detective during his arrest two weeks later, prosecutors said.

Marvin Moralez, 21, also known as Little Chucky, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder for his role in the slaying of Daniel Garcia-Carbajal in Freeport’s Cow Meadow Park on March 1, 2021, and first-degree attempted murder for pointing the gun at the detective's chest on March 15.

Moralez was remanded without bail and is due back in court March 16, when  Nassau County Court Judge Teresa Corrigan is expected to sentence him to 23 years to life in prison, prosecutors said.

“In just two weeks in two separate incidents, Marvin Moralez helped lure a young man to his murder and pointed a loaded gun at the chest of a police officer,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “This defendant, an alleged active member of MS-13, has consistently shown disregard for human life. With today’s plea our county is now a safer place.”

Scott Gross, Moralez's Garden City-based defense attorney, said his client "has accepted his responsibility and made a decision to put this matter behind him without the necessity of a trial. The hope is this decision brings closure to anyone affected by Mr. Moralez’s actions."

In the early morning hours of March 1, Garcia-Carbajal was contacted by a male co-defendant on social media and invited to hang out with girls, investigators said. 

The victim was picked up in a car and taken with multiple people, including Moralez, to Cow Meadow Park, where he was fatally shot in the head, authorities said.

A family member reported Garcia-Carbajal missing and his body was discovered the next day in the park, police said. The victim was a perceived enemy of MS-13 due to his social media posts, prosecutors said.

Two weeks later, Moralez was a passenger in a Hyundai SUV speeding in a Hempstead parking lot, authorities said.

Nearby Nassau police officers activated their lights but the Hyundai did not immediately stop. A detective left his vehicle and approached the Hyundai, when Moralez got out of the passenger side and pointed a loaded gun at the officer’s chest. He did not fire and Moralez was arrested at the scene, prosecutors said.

Cases against co-defendants Tulio Ayala, Manuel Aparicio Gomez, Kevin Torres, and Henry Canales in Garcia-Carbajal’s death are pending. 

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.