Thread: 41 Gang Members & Associates Charged with Multiple Crime

Forty-One Gang Members and Associates in Five Districts Charged with Crimes Including Racketeering, Murder, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms Trafficking

Enforcement Actions Against More Than 110 Individuals Across the United States in February as Part of DOJ Efforts to Combat Gangs and Gang-Related Violence

U.S. Department of Justice
February 09, 2011 Office of Public Affairs
(202) 514-2007/TDD (202)514-1888

WASHINGTON—Forty-one members of various street gangs have been charged in indictments or criminal complaints unsealed today in five judicial districts, the Department of Justice announced today.

The federal indictments and complaints unsealed today charge members and associates of a variety of street gangs, including:

â–*Seven members of the Click Clack gang in Kansas City, Missouri;
â–*12 Colonias Chiques gang members in Los Angeles;
â–*Two members and associates of the Sureno 13 and San Chucos gangs in Las Vegas;
â–*Seven MS-13 members in Washington;

The charges in these separate cases relate to a wide range of alleged illegal activity, including racketeering conspiracy, murder, murder conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, robbery, and gun trafficking. The defendants will make initial court appearances in the respective districts in which they are charged. Teams of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers have today arrested 29 of these defendants, with additional arrests expected.

“Gangs threaten the safety and stability of neighborhoods across our nation,â€

Long Beach police raid 45 homes with reputed gang ties

By Tracy Manzer, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/09/2011 03:57:18 PM PST
By Tracy Manzer Staff Writer

LONG BEACH -- Police tightened their grip Wednesday on one of the city's oldest gangs, believed responsible for a rash of recent shootings, including the attempted murder of two Long Beach Police Department gang detectives last week.

The message to the East Side Longos and their associates was loud and clear as waves of officers swept through Central Long Beach starting around 3 a.m.

A total of 45 homes -- all with direct connections to documented gang members -- were searched, resulting in the arrests of 13 people and the seizure of guns, ammunition and other evidence, said Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

"Detectives began to focus on one of the oldest Hispanic gangs in Long Beach who claim territory in this particular area of Central Long Beach, the East Side Longo gang," McDonnell said.

"They soon learned that members of this gang are believed to be responsible for six shootings in the area just within the last two months, including the attempted murder of two Long Beach Gang detectives," the chief said.

McDonnell said those who carried out the pre-dawn operation included Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies, U.S. Marshals, State Parole agents, County Probation officers, and Department of Children and Family Services case workers.

He gave a special nod of appreciation to the Long Beach Gang investigators who led the operation, Detective Jerry Poole and Detective Brad Scavone.

Mayor Bob Foster thanked all the officers and agencies for their work.
"I hope this operation sends a strong message to those who choose to bring harm to the residents of Long Beach, or to the city of Long Beach, that your illegal activities will not be tolerated," Foster said.

Among those arrested in the raids were two male juveniles, both suspected in a no-hit shooting on Dec. 29 in Central Long Beach, the chief said.

The remaining 11 arrests were adults who face charges including parole violations, weapons possession violations and outstanding warrants, the chief said.

The raids focused largely on the neighborhood surrounding Anaheim Street and Magnolia Avenue, the chief.

Also, social workers from DCFS took four children from unfit homes, McDonnell said.

The arrests included 11 felony and two misdemeanor charges. More than half a dozen guns were seized, including six handguns and a rifle, along with ammunition and other gang paraphernalia, the chief said.

The results of the raids were released at a press conference at Long Beach Police headquarters, the second such event within less than a week.

The chief addressed members of the media last Friday to announce the arrests of two Long Beach teens for the Jan. 29 attempted murder of two Long Beach Police Department Gang investigators.

Erick Sianez, 19, and David Silva, 19, were charged Friday with a litany of felony counts including attempted murder of a police officer causing great bodily injury and assault with a deadly weapon.

Included in the charges are allegations that the attack was carried out to further their gang's grip on the community.

Silva is being held on $3,040,000 bail while Sianez's bail was listed at $2,040,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24.

The injured detective -- who police have declined to identify -- was shot in the upper body in an area not protected by his bulletproof vest, the chief said.

According to police reports, the two suspects drove up to a group of people near MacArthur Park at about 10:50 p.m. on Jan. 29 and fired several shots in the air.

As the suspects drove away, they approached a police car with two gang detectives inside, authorities said.

When the detectives turned to investigate, the suspects fired multiple rounds at them as they drove past. Even though the detective behind the wheel was shot he tried to go after the suspects but was unable to do so, the chief said.

He was taken to a local hospital by his partner and has been treated and released, the chief said Tuesday.

"He's at home doing well and expected to make a full recovery," McDonnell said. "We were very lucky with that one."

It appears as though only one suspect fired the two shots that struck the police vehicle, the chief said last week.

Another group of officers in the area on an unrelated investigation also heard the shots and saw the suspects fire on their fellow officers' car, the chief said.

Witnesses said the suspects tossed the handgun out of their car's window as they fled. It was later recovered by police.

According to the chief, the detectives were in an easily recognizable police vehicle equipped with emergency lights and sirens and a license plate scanner.

Both investigators were in uniform and are well-known by local gang members, he added.

Asked if Wednesday's operation shed any more light on whether the suspects went out that night to take out a police officer and the chief said he could not speculate or discuss the motive due to the on-going investigation.

"We're still sorting through the items that were seized pursuant to the warrants," McDonnell said.

The chief said later that two detectives were working in the area that night because of the gang's aggressive rash of shootings.

"I firmly believe that because those officers were there that night they saved the life of someone else in that community."

tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1261.

http://www.presstelegram.com/breakingnews/ci_17342700

19 members of South LA graffiti gang arrested

By The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 at 5:54 p.m.

LOS ANGELES — Authorities have announced the arrests of 19 members of a South Los Angeles tagging gang during a one-day search warrant operation.

Sheriff's Sgt. Chris Meadows says about 200 deputies executed 16 search warrants and six probation checks Wednesday on members of BDSK.

Authorities say the gang has allegedly caused more than $200,000 damage to city buses, trains and infrastructure.

Charges include felony vandalism and participating in a criminal street gang.

Officials say BDSK started out as a small group of taggers and eventually evolved into a gang with more than 200 members spread out between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The Sheriff's Department began investigating the gang about six months ago after counting more than 500 of its tags.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011 ... -arrested/

Nationwide Gang Crackdown Just Starting

Reported by: Eddie Flores
Last Update: 10:39 am

Indictiment of Suspected Tri-City Bomber Members

MCALLEN - Federal and local law enforcement officers have raided homes across the country, including some right here in the Valley.

Thirteen members of the Tri-City Bombers from Hidalgo County were taken into custody.

Sheriff Lupe Trevino tells CHANNEL 5 NEWS the arrests were a culmination of a four-year investigation into gangs by several different agencies.

The charges include racketeering, murder, drug trafficking and firearms trafficking.

According to the sheriff, his office will be arresting many more. He says he has open warrants for some 337 known gang members.

"We're going to be out in force in the next cuople of days, knocking doors down and arresting them," says Trevino.

The sheriff's department has put together a 30-person task force to carry out the arrests of drug members who repeatedly commit serious crimes.

No word on when the arrests will actually take place.

http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Na ... 33_Jg.cspx