Thread: NY-Police eye possible Latino gang members

Police eye possible Latino gang members

Post-Star
By Don Lehman
dlehman@poststar.com
Updated: Thursday, August 6, 2009 10:17 PM EDT

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- Local police are trying to figure out why two men with possible ties to a notoriously violent Latin American gang were in Saratoga Springs when they were arrested earlier this week.

The two men, whose names were not released, are believed to be to linked to MS13, said Harold Ort, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The natives of El Salvador had been working at a local restaurant and were arrested for being illegal immigrants as part of a "targeted enforcement action," Ort said.

He would not say if the men were targeted because of their apparent gang ties. Three El Salvadoran men were arrested, and the one who was not believed to have gang ties had been released as of Thursday, Ort said.

MS13 is a street gang that has a strong presence in the western part of the U.S. but has not been known to be a significant problem in the Northeast.

The information about the possible MS13 members came to light last week as police investigated the alleged abduction of a woman by an El Salvadoran immigrant, Saratoga Springs Police Chief Ed Moore said.

The man who was arrested last week in connection with the abduction, Victor V. Hernandez-Perez, of Corinth, is El Salvadoran, and police learned he might have ties to MS13 members, Moore said.

That was a concern because Hernandez-Perez knew the address of the victim, and police wanted to make sure she was protected, he said. So Moore said police contacted ICE to have the federal agency review the matter.

"We had an obligation to make sure our victim was protected," he said.

Hernandez-Perez is also being investigated for possible involvement in a reported abduction and sexual assault in Lake George on June 30.

Moore said police have had indications in the past of an MS13 presence in Saratoga Springs. But he said there is no evidence of an active group of gang members in the city at this point, and the public should not overreact.

"We’ve had them here in the past, but nothing of significance," the chief said.

"People should be vigilant and contact us if they have any concerns. But I don’t think Saratoga Springs has a gang problem."

Police in Washington County have seen signs in recent years of gang activity involving Mexican immigrants who work at farms and stone quarries in the county.

Washington County sheriff’s Investigator Bruce Hamilton said that activity has consisted of graffiti known as "tagging."

He said there have been no indications of any presence of MS13 in Washington County, though.

"They’re one of the ones that has a reputation as being one of the most violent gangs, mostly in the western part of the country," Hamilton said.

http://www.poststar.com/articles/2009/0 ... 477585.txt

Posted to comments:

"Police in Washington County have seen signs in recent years of gang activity involving Mexican immigrants who work at farms and stone quarries in the county."

They are Illegal Aliens! Enforce the Immigration laws that are on the books and END these STUPID SANCTUARY POLICIES we have in NY. Lets get rid of Schumer asap!
_____________________________
I guess it has to be reviewed before it appears.

"Lets get rid of Schumer asap!"

IT CAN'T HAPPEN FAST ENOUGH AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED!!!