West Covina lawyer linked to Mexican Mafia pleads not guilty

Posted: 06/23/2009 06:31:40 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES - A UCLA-educated criminal defense lawyer has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of money laundering on behalf of the Mexican Mafia prison gang.

Isaac Guillen of West Covina, who was among 40 named in a federal racketeering indictment last week, entered his plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

Prosecutors say the 48-year-old, whose street name is listed as "Coach" in court papers, regularly transferred thousands of dollars from a MacArthur Park gang to his business partner, a Mexican Mafia member imprisoned in Colorado.

Guillen's defense attorney, William S. Harris, says his client denies all charges.

According to his firm's Web site, Guillen earned his law degree from UCLA and also studied at UC Berkeley.

Guillen is being held without bail.

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