Thread: Top Mexican Mafia Member Arrested by U.S. Marshals and ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
March 9, 2007 Deputy Joshua Butout
joshua.butout@usdoj.gov
Public Information Officer
Cell 602-920-4806
Desk 602-382-8775


Top Mexican Mafia Member Arrested by U.S. Marshals and Phoenix Police

Phoenix, AZ – The United States Marshals Service (USMS) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Phoenix Police Fugitive Apprehension and Investigations Detail (FAID) arrested a man believed to be involved in the shooting of a Glendale police officer and a high ranking member of the New Mexican Mafia.

Angel Garcia, 28, was arrested on federal charges of Supervised Release Violation. Garcia spent three and a half years in federal custody for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Garcia is believed to be involved in the shooting of Glendale Police Officer Jeremy Esh. On December 19, 2006, Garcia’s vehicle was pulled over by Officer Esh. Several Hispanic males fled the vehicle, one of them shooting at Officer Esh, striking him in the neck. Two of the suspects were arrested at or near the scene. One suspect, believed to be Garcia, managed to elude authorities. Glendale Police have identified Garcia as a “person of interest” in the case.

Garcia was found to be living at the 2200 North block of 60th Lane in Phoenix. Law enforcement officials followed Garcia and two other males to the QT located at 67th Avenue and Thomas. As officers moved in to execute the arrest, Garcia fled on foot. He was quickly subdued by task force members as they surrounded him. A 9mm Taurus handgun was found in the back of Garcia’s waistband. He will most likely be charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm. A substantial amount of cash was also found in Garcia’s pockets.

Garcia has a violent criminal history that includes charges of: Drive-by Shooting, Aggravated Assault, Possession of Weapons and Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

United States Marshal David Gonzales praised the work of task force members and local officials, “The U.S. Marshals and Phoenix Police Department put their resources together and brought down a very dangerous man.”

The United States Marshals HIDTA Task Force consists of deputies and officers from the U.S. Marshals, Phoenix P.D., Department of Public Safety (DPS), Mesa P.D., Maricopa County Probation Office, U.S. Postal Inspector Service, and Chandler P.D.

For further information about the U.S. Marshals: www.usmarshals.gov

http://www.usmarshals.gov/news/chron/2007/030907.htm

Garcia has a violent criminal history that includes charges of: Drive-by Shooting, Aggravated Assault, Possession of Weapons and Possession of Dangerous Drugs.

All of these serious crimes and this man is out living in the public, while 2 of our Border Guards are in prison for an administrative cover up? We are in very deep doodoo here!

It ticks me off, when the prosecutors office has to use terms like, could be charged, or might have been involved with or most likely charged with. If this guy was on supervised probation he had no business with a weapon of any kind.

Another illegal alien just here to do the work americans won't. Yeah right

I saw a story on Pelican Bay prison the other night. They said the Mexican Mafia is made up of mostly Mexican Americans & is the most violent prison gang there.