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News Releases
June 6, 2007

56 indicted in ICE operation targeting foreign national gang members
Total of 124 gangsters taken off the street

LOS ANGELES – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested six foreign nationals with ties to violent street gangs in the Southland during the past week, the latest actions in an ongoing ICE operation that has resulted in the arrest of 124 gang members in the last three months.Among those arrested by ICE agents during the past week was Pedro Barboza-Serrano, 40, a Mexican national and reputed member of the Eastside Longos whose criminal record includes prior convictions on drug charges, robbery, burglary, and spousal battery.Â* Barboza-Serrano is one of 56 suspected gang members indicted on federal criminal charges as part of the operation.Â* The criminal charges include drug and firearms offenses, and re-entry after deportation, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.Â* Barboza-Serrano, who pleaded not guilty to re-entry charges Monday, is scheduled to go on trial late next month.Of the foreign nationals indicted in connection with the ICE investigation, 36 are in custody at this time.Â* The other 20 remain at large and are actively being sought.Â* At a news conference this morning, representatives from the United States Attorney’s Office and ICE unveiled wanted posters featuring two of those fugitives.Â* They include Gerber Antonio Oliva-Diaz, 39, a reputed member of the Florencia 13 gang who has prior arrests for murder, kidnapping to commit robbery, grand theft auto, and burglary.Â* In addition, Oliva-Diaz has also been charged 17 times for possession of a controlled substance.In addition to the 36 individuals arrested on criminal charges, ICE agents arrested 88 suspected gang members on administrative immigration violations.Â* All told, ICE agents have taken 124 suspected gang members off the streets in the greater Los Angeles area over the last 90 days.The indictments and arrests announced today are part of Operation Community Shield, an ongoing nationwide initiative in which ICE is partnering with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to address the public safety threat posed by transnational gangs.Â* A crucial component of that strategy is using criminal prosecutions to disrupt gang activity and dismantle the organizations.“As part of our long-standing battle against streets gangs and organized crime, we have utilized many tactics, including the filing of immigration charges,â€