Police work with ICE to round up gang members; several people arrested
By Jaime Adame
World staff writer
Posted July 18, 2008

WENATCHEE — Wenatchee police teamed with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents Thursday to round up several gang members, some of whom were arrested solely on immigration holds, a Wenatchee police sergeant said.



About five people known to be gang members or gang associates were arrested, said Sgt. Kevin Dresker, adding he didn't have an exact count. He said the total number of arrests were about seven, including suspects not known to be gang members.



Four men with Wenatchee addresses were booked on immigration holds — without any criminal charges listed — into Chelan County Regional Justice Center, according to jail records.



Dresker could only confirm that three were arrested as part of the sweep, which also included participation from officers with the Chelan County Sheriff's Office and the State Department of Corrections, he said.



"Our interest … is gang members," said Dresker. "Are they out here committing crimes, out here causing problems?"



While Dresker said police "certainly want to use any tools available to us," he said gang investigators did not ask ICE to check the immigration status of all 200 or so suspected gang members in the area.



During the arrest of one 22-year-old man, who Dresker said was known to be a gang member, another family member was arrested at the same residence who is not known to be a gang member, Dresker said.



An online check of the man Dresker said was known to be a gang member showed that he was convicted of intimidating a witness in 2004, as well as misdemeanor marijuana and obstructing charges in 2005. The man was listed as a Mexican national.



Jaime Adame: 664-7144



adame@wenworld.com




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