Thread: 29 Indicted in Probe of MS-13 Gang

I.C.E. News Release

October 23, 2008

29 Individuals Indicted in Racketeering Probe Targeting MS-13 Gang

Three-year investigation links suspects to murder, drug and firearms trafficking

SAN FRANCISCO - Twenty-two individuals in the San Francisco Bay Area were indicted on federal racketeering and other charges arising from their participation in the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today. Seven additional individuals were also charged with non-racketeering offenses ranging from narcotics trafficking to firearms trafficking, and attempted exportation of stolen vehicles.

At a news conference in San Francisco, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California Joseph P. Russoniello and ICE's Director of Investigations Marcy M. Forman outlined details of the undercover investigation, dubbed "Operation Devil Horns," in reference to MS-13's gang sign. The investigation culminated today with the unsealing of the 52-count indictment following the arrest yesterday of 26 of the indicted suspects. Additionally, two other individuals linked to the case were arrested yesterday based upon charges contained in a criminal complaint. Finally, agents involved in the take down also took custody of two suspects wanted on outstanding murder warrants by the San Francisco Police Department.

The indictment alleges that 22 of the defendants are members of MS-13 based in San Francisco's Mission District and Richmond, Calif., who agreed to conduct the affairs of the gang by engaging in a variety of criminal offenses, including murder, attempted murder, assault, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, narcotics trafficking, and the interstate transportation of stolen vehicles. According to the indictment, the investigation linked the defendants to various acts of violence committed in San Francisco and elsewhere, including murder and attempted murder. In addition to filing charges under the RICO Act (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations), seven of the defendants in the case are also accused of committing seventeen specific violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR), including one count involving murder.

"There can be no doubt that the greatest threat to the peace and well-being of so many of our communities in this district and throughout the country, for that matter, is the lethal cocktail of drugs, gangs and guns. And among the gangs we in law enforcement are determined to bring to heel, none is more vicious, dangerous and indifferent to the rule of law than MS-13. They may see themselves as heroes, may try to recruit members by emphasizing their 'machismo' and terrorize the community by engaging in acts of wanton violence, but they are neither invisible nor invincible," said United States Attorney Russoniello. "This coordinated effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies is but one more steady step in the process of taking back our communities and giving young people the chance to make meaningful good long-life choices... alternatives to the often short-term gratification that membership in a gang at best, offers.

While we are committed, we are not naive. Some may try to fill the vacuum this take-down creates. For them, I suspect they will face the same fate as these defendants do, though they may not have to wait as long to be brought to justice. To any who still view these gangsters as heroes, I suggest they acquaint themselves with the location of and visitor schedules for federal prisons. They'll likely be spending a lot of their time there in the next several years."

"This investigation and the ensuing arrests have dealt a serious blow to what is arguably one of the most ruthless gang cliques currently operating in the Bay Area," said Marcy M. Forman, director of the ICE office of investigations. "As this case shows, transnational gangs like MS-13 thrive on violence, violence that is often fueled by profits from their illegal activities. Left unchecked, these activities threaten the welfare and safety of our communities. Our goal in targeting these dangerous street gangs is to disrupt their criminal activities and ultimately to dismantle the entire organization."

As part of the investigation, ICE set up an undercover storefront in Richmond, Calif., disguised as an export warehouse. From that location, an undercover officer posing as a corrupt car exporter, purchased 16 vehicles which had been allegedly stolen by MS-13 members and their associates from California residents. In addition, an undercover officer also purchased several firearms from one of the defendants between 2006 and 2007.

Over the course of three years, the investigation led to the seizure of more than 20 weapons, including three high-powered assault rifles, two machine pistols and three shotguns. One of those shotguns was equipped with a high capacity "magazine drum," allowing the weapon to be loaded with more than 20 rounds of ammunition at a time. Additionally, agents involved in the case made nine separate narcotics seizures involving cocaine and methamphetamine.

In a large-scale, targeted enforcement action carried out yesterday in San Francisco and in the Reno, Nev., area, federal, state and local agents and officers executed nearly two dozen search warrants and 20 arrest warrants related to the case. In addition, agents served search and arrest warrants at eight correctional facilities in California where 15 of the defendants named in the indictment were already incarcerated on other charges.

Officers and agents from numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies provided substantial support during yesterday's enforcement action, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the California Highway Patrol; the California Department of Justice; the California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement; the San Mateo County Gang Task Force; and the Richmond, San Francisco and South San Francisco police departments. ICE received assistance with the investigation itself from the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the California Highway Patrol; the San Francisco Police Department; and other local law enforcement agencies. In addition, the El Salvadoran National Police and ICE's Attaché Office in El Salvador aided with the case by conducting searches and interviews of MS-13 associates in El Salvador.

In addition to yesterday's criminal arrests, ICE agents also took 11 gang members and gang associates into custody on administrative immigration violations. Those individuals will be held by ICE pending a deportation hearing before an immigration judge.

The arrests announced today are not the first stemming from the ongoing investigation. Over the course of the probe, 17 gang members have been taken into custody on criminal charges, including firearms violations and re-entry after deportation. Some of those individuals are among those named in the new RICO indictment.

The investigation leading to yesterday's arrests is part of Operation Community Shield, a comprehensive initiative launched by ICE in 2005 to disrupt and dismantle transnational street gangs. Under Operation Community Shield, ICE partners with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to target these violent organizations and their members for arrest, prosecution, and, where applicable, deportation. Since 2005, ICE has arrested more than 11,100 gang members and associates from 890 different gangs as part of Operation Community Shield. Of those arrested, 145 were gang leaders. To date, 3,997 have been charged criminally, and 7,109 have been charged with immigration violations and processed for removal.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wai Shun Wilson Leung of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney Laura Gwinn of the Criminal Division's Gang Squad.

An indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, these defendants must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

Last Modified: Thursday, October 23, 2008
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0810/081023sanfrancisco.htm

CHECK OUT THE HEADLINE OF THIS USA TODAY ARTICLE
======================================

Feds announce 'major takedown' of Latino gang in San Francisco

Federal authorities in San Francisco today indicted 29 people for crimes blamed on a violent gang linked to Los Angeles and El Salvador. The move comes two days after a crackdown on the Mongols, a predominantly Latino motorcycle gang based in Southern California.

The alleged senior leaders of the city's faction of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, or MS-13, were among 26 arrested in the city's Mission District and across the bay in Richmond, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Two others were charged separately, and 15 were in custody already in separate cases. Three are being sought.

Racketeering charges were filed against 22 suspects accused of murder, attempted murder, assault, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, narcotics trafficking, transporting stolen vehicles. The indictment followed a three-year undercover investigation.

“This investigation and the ensuing arrests have dealt a serious blow to what is arguably one of the most ruthless gang cliques currently operating in the Bay Area,â€

October 23, 2008


UPDATE: Immigration raids led to 29 arrests of notorious El Salvadoran gang


Federal prosecutors in San Francisco today announced Wednesday's raids throughout the Bay Area and in Nevada by immigration authorities were the culmination of a three-year effort to combat the MS-13 street gang, resulting in the criminal indictments of 29 people.

Arrests were made in San Francisco, Richmond, Oakland, Alameda, South San Francisco, San Bruno and Reno, Nev., according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The indictment of the 29 suspected members or associates of the gang was unsealed today by U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello, who discussed "Operation Devil Horns" -- a reference to the MS-13 gang sign -- at a news conference in San Francisco.

While some of those indicted were arrested during the ICE raids, others were already in prison on other charges, according to ICE.

Marcy Forman, ICE's national office of investigations director, said the charges represented the "largest criminal indictment of MS-13 gang members in U.S. history."

MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, originated in El Salvador and Southern California, and has members throughout the Bay Area in the thousands, according to Russionello. He called the group "one of the most vicious, dangerous organized crime gangs" in the country, and said its members engaged in "indiscriminate violence" against innocent victims as well as other gangs and its own members.

Russionello said the arrests, which included alleged leaders of the gang, would have a significant impact, but represented a "continuing struggle" against the group's spread.

"With each victory that we achieve, it makes it more difficult for them to replenish," he said.

"They're not all going to be leaving town tomorrow," Russionello said, "but they may now be distrustful of their own members."

The operation, which began in 2005, included undercover ICE agents monitoring the gang's illegal activities.

The indictment charged 22 alleged gang members with offenses in the aid of racketeering that included murder, attempted murder, assault, robbery, extortion, witness tampering, drug trafficking and interstate transportation of stolen vehicles. The suspects were alleged to be MS-13 members based in San Francisco's Mission District and the city of Richmond.

Three of those charged were linked to murders in San Francisco on July 11 and July 31 of this year.

On July 11, 31-year-old Armando Estrada, of Rodeo, was fatally shot in broad daylight at 20th and Mission streets, according to San Francisco police. That intersection is considered the territory of MS-13's "20th Street" clique.

Guillermo Herrera, aka "Shorty" or "Sparky," was named in the federal indictment for the July 11 murder.

On July 31, 14-year-old Ivan Miranda, of San Francisco, was stabbed to death during a confrontation with four other boys in the city's Excelsior District, according to police.

Walter Chinchilla-Linar, aka "Demonio," and Cesar Alvarado, aka "Momia," were named in the indictment for robbery and murder in connection with the July 31 attack.

Russionello said sentences for those convicted under federal racketeering charges run from 10 years in federal prison to life without parole. Those released after their sentences would then be deported.

Six other men and one woman were charged with non-racketeering offenses that also included drug and firearms trafficking, and attempting to export stolen vehicles.

Russionello called the effort "one more steady step in the process of taking back our communities."

"We have to be able to provide some alternatives to young people," he said.

Residents, community groups and immigration rights attorneys have expressed dismay, however, at the ICE raids.

Russionello acknowledged Wednesday's raids were "aggressive operations" but was unapologetic.

He said authorities pursuing criminal suspects "may not be in the most sensitive or compassionate mode."

"Yes, doors will be knocked down," he said. "Yes, guns will be drawn."

"But wherever possible, these officers ... are sensitive to the considerations of innocent persons," said Russionello.

However, if while serving warrants, immigration authorities suspect others there to be in the country illegally, they will also be detained and subject to deportation proceedings, according to ICE.

www.thecalifornian.com