Thread: TX: Almost 30 members of Latin Kings gang behind bars

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?secti ... id=4931806

Almost 30 members of Latin Kings gang behind barsPolice say it was a big blow to one of the most dangerous gangs
By Kevin Quinn
(1/12/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - Two dozen gang members have pleaded guilty to crimes like murder, organized crime, drugs and use of stolen weapons. It's the result of a three year investigation by the Houston Police Department and a big blow to one of the most dangerous gangs in the country.

It took Houston police nearly three years to arrest the leaders of the Latin Kings here in Texas. It was a painstakingly complicated process for investigators from local, state and federal agencies.

"We have such a tremendous impact on the leadership, the very high levels of this gang and to a large extent dismantled this entire gang operation," said Executive Assistant Chief Mike Thaler of the Houston Police Department.

Police say it was Victor Manuel Rivera's job to build a stronghold for his gang here in Texas. He was in charge of 4000 to 5000 members of the gang here. All were working to establish a covert route to run a steady supply of drugs to Chicago from Mexico.

"They considered Texas a goldmine because of its proximity to the border," said Sgt. Glenn Smart of the Houston Police Department.

Authorities say Rivera was the number one man in Texas for the Latin Kings. Upon his arrest, he told police he wanted out of the gang and handed over his home computer. On the hard drive police found a hierarchy of the Latin Kings, one which ultimately helped investigators crack this case.

Word of the arrests is comforting to some on the southwest side where police say they see the greatest amount of gang activity. Some say more still needs to be done.

"I think everyone can be worried about their children because it's dangerous," said resident Rosarba Reed.

The 27 suspects faced a variety of charges ranging from murder to drug possession. Many have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

This is good news they are in jail, now if they get out, hopefully they are deported. Thank god the goverment is at least doing this.

If they are deported they just come right back into the country. Deportation is not the answer to these crimes.

I hope when they get out of jail and get deported, they don't come back. We have the same gang in South Florida as well unfortunately. Many of the bad gangs here are the result of illegal migrants bringing their kids here with them. This has to end.

Tonight Glenn Beck said that a federal study showed that 73% of the illegals arrested have been arrested at least 6 other times. Our government is really letting us down.

I don't understand this?

PBS just did a SPECIAL on LA.........DREAM CITY and Villagrosa planted a tree and named it a spanish name. Jimmy Smitts did the advertisement something about lost and found again--DREAM CITY {something like that}

So, why the big deal about the gangs? And asking for taxpayer money from US? I mean
IT'S A DREAM CITY and was now REDISCOVERED by the hispanics

...........according to the PBS special.

.

Wish I had seen that show. Dream City - LA???? Sounds like a lot of spin to me. No one I know wants to go to that city.

Originally Posted by jean

Wish I had seen that show. Dream City - LA???? Sounds like a lot of spin to me. No one I know wants to go to that city.

I only saw a few minutes of the show. It was nothing but propaganda.

Andyt: I have seen those same stats that Beck mentioned somewhere else. It makes me sick that our own government is making us more suseptible to crime.
In my district in North Dade County; I have noticed an increase in armed robberies by Hispanics in the last few months. This goes hand in hand with their gangs being in the area. When my daughter was in high school 3 years ago; some of the Latino gangs (as they call them here in Miami) were trying to infiltrate the high school. They failed miserably back then as many of the students were either Jewish which usually don't bother with that nonsense, African Americans many of which were Haitian who either didn't care for gangs or were into their own gangs and many gays who were in the arts magnet program who are into peace and busy fighting discrimination against homosexuals. Alot of that has sinced changed. The gays and African Americans are still there but many Jewish kids are now attending private Jewish schools and that many be partially due to the large increase of illegal and legal Hispanics bring down the quality of education.

Originally Posted by andyt

Tonight Glenn Beck said that a federal study showed that 73% of the illegals arrested have been arrested at least 6 other times. Our government is really letting us down.

Actually the study was of 100 illegal alien arrestees. 73 of them had been rearrested enough times to give all 100 an average of 6 times. That's 600 rearrests for 73 men. That's 8.22 arrests for those 73 criminals.

This also means that 27 of the 100 had NOT been rearrested, at least not under that particular identity.