Thread: N.Y.: Violent gang members arrested in the Spa city

Violent gang members arrested in the Spa city
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August 05, 2009 9:49 PM
Sera Laganelli

Who knew there were violent gang members living in your back yard?

Three men in Saratoga Springs were arrested on immigration violations, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ICE spokesperson Harold Ort said that the three men were arrested as part of the ICE community shield program that targets gangs.

A statement released by ICE says that two of the three aliens arrested with associated with a violent gang called Mara Salvatrucha or more commonly known as MS-13.

ICE considers MS-13 to be one of the most violent and rapidly growing transnational street gangs.

The FBI profiles the gang as mostly Salvadoran nationals or first generation Salvadoran-Americans, but also Hondurans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, and other Central and South American immigrants.

An FBI assessment of MS-13 says that they are extremely violent and engage in a wide range of criminal activity including drug distribution, murder, rape, prostitution, robbery, home invasions, immigration offenses, kidnapping, carjackings/auto thefts, and vandalism.

And even scarier, the FBI says that MS-13 members often target middle and high school students for recruitment, and members often work for legitimate businesses by presenting false social security numbers.

ICE says that two of the three aliens arrested remain in custody and one has been released on bond. It is unknown if the man released was a member of MS-13.

www.cbs6albany.com

Anytime these thugs are arrested is a good day!

I LOVE Saratoga, especially at this time of year. This is prime time for the horse racing circuit... the 6 week meet is THE premeir race meet for the East Coast. Everybody who is anybody in racing is in Saratoga right now.

If they REALLY wanted to crack down on immigration violations they would be hitting the "dorms" of the backstretch workers! Every year for the past 10 there have been murders and rapes occuring. The last year I worked on the NY circuit (2005) I refused to set foot on the backstretch unless I had a male with me. This coming from a woman who is 6'1" and worked around horses all her life, believe me in most cases I can hold my own... but the people being employed by some (not all) "horse people" are down right scary and not all of them are men! The women are every bit as scary as their male counterparts. NO WAY would I have set foot near the dorms after dark!

THAT is where ICE needs to be working!