In the aftermath of the street murder of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, the U.S. Attorney’s Office should once again take a hard look at the gang responsible for his murder, the deadly Trinitarios gang.

It has been done before, with help from RICO. And it can be done again.

An investigation under RICO, acronym for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, certainly fits well for the Trinitarios. The machete-wielding group, with roots in the Bronx, has engaged in racketeering, murder, attempted murder, illegal gun carrying, and drug dealing, according to an indictment by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2013. The first such RICO case was tried in New York in 1979, with union boss Anthony Scotto convicted on racketeering charges.

A RICO case applies when a criminal enterprise with such repute such as the Trinitarios engages in high crimes, such as racketeering or murder. The group’s leaders could be tried for crimes they ordered others to do or assisted in doing. The idea crushes the layers of protection against criminal leaders who, while not physically involved in a crime, are culpable by mandating a crime to proceed. The idea, in the case of the Trinitarios, could dismantle the organization.

But how do authorities dismantle a syndicate that began in prison? The gang was co-founded by Leonides Sierra, jailed since 1989. He is serving two back-to-back sentences for crimes related to his stature as a national leader in a gang.

The likely answer is to go after its existing top leadership. Its street lieutenants and captains who carry these orders.

Senator Luis Sepulveda, a practicing attorney representing the southeast Bronx, wants even tougher penalties. “One of the surest ways to see this gang and violent gagns like it brought to justice, is to prosecute its members under the federal RICO statute,” said Sepulveda, ranking Democrat on the Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee. “With much stronger federal sentencing guidelines, gang members can be sent away for decades. That’s not only a deterrent, but a strong incentive for defendants to cooperate with prosecutors.”

This crime has certainly gained widespread attention, as it deserves. But are we missing the big picture? On a ground level, crimes involving young people have noticeably climbed in the Bronx over the last few weeks, where victims and suspects are incredibly young. Is this just a wave or a trend the NYPD should pay further attention to these days?

Note: This print version of this editorial was not the final version and was printed in error. The printed article, relying on previously published material from the U.S. Attorney’s Office along with other published reports, incorrectly states that the co-founding leaders of the Trinitarios is still giving orders. It remains unclear who is the national leader. The Norwood News regrets the error.