Thread: Yonkers police target gang members

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs ... 7703310354

Yonkers police target gang members in country illegally
By WILL DAVID
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: March 31, 2007)
YONKERS - Police Commissioner Edmund Hartnett said he will continue to work with federal immigration authorities to deport people who are in this country illegally and are involved in gang-related crimes in Yonkers.

Hartnett was referring to eight members of two Yonkers Mexican street gangs who were picked up Wednesday and Thursday in Yonkers because they are in the country illegally.

Federal authorities are about to begin proceedings to deport them to Mexico.

"The message that we want to get out is clear," Hartnett said. "We are going to try to use every tool in our toolbox to arrest and deport gang members."

Hartnett said the aim is to rid Yonkers streets of all gangs. Deporting gang members who are not U.S. citizens is one option open to law enforcement, the commissioner said.

On Wednesday and Thursday, members of the Yonkers Gang Unit, Narcotics Unit and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Team of the Department of Homeland Security arrested Mexican nationals who are members of two notorious street gangs in Yonkers, Vatos Locos and the Elliott Mexican Gang.

Hartnett said at times the two Mexican gangs are at war with each other in Yonkers in territorial disputes. At other times, they are involved in what he called "mindless disputes."

Five members of the Vatos Locos and three members of the Elliott Mexican Gang were arrested. All are illegally in the country and all have committed crimes in Yonkers, Hartnett said.

On Wednesday, the team of federal and Yonkers officers went to St. Andrews Place and Grey Place at 6 a.m. and captured the five members of the Vatos Locos gang.

Arrested were Omar Aguilar, 19, of 82 St. Andrews Place; Felipe Garcia, 19, of 82 St. Andrews Place; Ceasar Guerrero, 34, of 85 St. Andrews Place; Rene Garcia, 31, of 82 St. Andrews Place; and Rodrigo Ortega, 22, of 790 Warburton Ave.

On Thursday at 6 a.m., the officers went after the Elliott Mexican Gang. The three arrested were Edgar Romero, 20, of 71 Elliott Ave.; Eduardo Martinez, 19, of 44 Loring Ave.; and Raul Agular, 21, of 150 Livingston Ave.

Hartnett said yesterday that Garcia had two felony drug arrests and Guerrero was arrested on a felony assault charge. Martinez was arrested with a loaded handgun, police said, and Romero was charged with gang assault.

Reach Will David at wdavid@lohud.com or 914-696-8274.

The more gang members that we get rid of the less illegals there are. We need to focus on those that are criminals, secure our borders so that they or others cannot enter our country and then determine if we really need the remaining. From looking at stats on jobs going overseas or being taken by visa holders, I seriously doubt we need any of the illegals regardless of what employers say. Employers will need to pay a fair wage and provide benefits. Americans need to realize that smaller companies cannot afford as good benefits as larger companies and that maybe instead of benefits they could bargin for profit sharing. Large companies that making large profits need to pay and provide benefits and company execs need to reduce their golden retirements and pay.