Twelve arrested during gang sweep

Posted: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 5:54 pm

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Twelve people were arrested recently on the Central Coast during a gang sweep operation that targeted gang members with illegal immigration status.

The Santa Maria Police Department Gang Suppression Team and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) identified local gang members they believed were in the country illegally, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.

Over several days this month, law enforcement officers from various agencies went to the homes of known gang members to investigate their immigration status. Participating agencies included: the Santa Maria Police Department, ICE, the San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County sheriff's departments, and state parole.

As a result of the investigation, 12 people were identified as being in the country illegally. Not all arrested were found to be gang members.

The following people were arrested as part of the operation: Juvileo Marquez Gonzaga, 33, Ezequiel Santos Mora, 23, Alejandrino Camarillo, 21, Rafael Esquera Ruiz, 19, Carlos Mendez, 28, Cresencio Espinoza Ramirez, 23, Fredy Alonso Vicente, 18, Yohana Beas-Uribe, 19, Luis Solis, 20, Mauricio Diaz Avalos, age unknown, Eduardo Garcia Ramirez, age unknown, and Antonio Cruz Santos, age unknown.

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