Feds bust 16 ruthless Mexican Mafia-linked gangsters — 'Lil Speedy' was caught after losing a shoe

Story by Josh Koehn
Dec 18 • 3 min read • Updated 4h ago

Federal authorities arrested 16 alleged gangbangers — with nicknames like “Chicken,” “Ghost” and “Lil Speedy” — linked to a violent Mexican Mafia prison gang following a major investigation into kidnapping, shootings and drug trafficking.
The feds rounded up members and associates of Puente-13, a San Gabriel Valley-based crew, alleging their involvement in one kidnapping, two shootings, illegal firearms sales, and peddling narcotics, including carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl, the US Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.



Federal authorities have arrested 16 alleged gangbangers following a major investigation, the US Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday. US Attorney's Office



The gang members are accused of kidnapping, shootings and drug trafficking. US Attorney's Office

Among those collared were Victor “Pollo” Sanchez, 24; Isaiah “Boy” Castro, 24; Isaac “Ghost” Estrada-Frost, 21; Heather “Snowbella” Covarrubias, 40; Adrian “Monkey” Lopez, 25; and Dominic “Lil Speedy” Ornelas, 23.
Prosecutors said that Ornelas fired a weapon in a deadly 2022 shooting of rival gangsters at a Covina home and tripped during the getaway, leaving behind a shoe that helped law enforcement link him to the bloody crime.

“The arrest of these 17 gangsters demonstrates that the DOJ is back in business and focused on removing the most dangerous criminals off our streets. We refuse to allow neighborhoods to be terrorized by these thugs. Through our work, we are working hard to make California safe again,” First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli told The Post.



Members and associates of Puente-13 are allegedly involved in kidnapping, two shootings, illegal firearms sales, and peddling narcotics, including carfentanil. US Attorney's Office



Ornelas fired a weapon in a deadly 2022 shooting of rival gangsters at a Covina home and tripped during the getaway, leaving behind a shoe that helped law enforcement link him to the bloody crime. US Attorney's Office

Over the course of the investigation, agents seized a staggering haul: roughly 10 pounds of meth, thousands of pills containing fentanyl and carfentanil, 76 firearms — including rifles, short-barreled weapons and a machine-gun conversion device — body armor, mountains of ammo and nearly $10,000 in cash.
In July 2023, Lopez, Covarrubias and others allegedly kidnapped two people over items they believed were stolen from them during a burglary, the feds charged. One victim escaped after a brutal beating.
In May 2025, Estrada-Frost allegedly fired at a man’s car outside a La Puente liquor store after mistaking him for a rival gang member. Estrada-Frost allegedly approached the man at a car wash and shouted, “This is Puente,” before attacking the man with racial slurs, according to an affidavit obtained by The Post.



Mugshots of some of the 17 members were released on Wednesday US Attorney's Office



In total, 20 people have been charged with crimes and two suspects remain on the run. US Attorney's Office

Authorities say Puente-13 operates as a profit arm of the Mexican Mafia, controlling narcotics sales in its territory and punishing anyone who cooperates with police.
“This was a three-year federal investigation that stemmed from a shooting in Covina,” said Nicole Lozano, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “Because of our long-standing working relationships with local law enforcement, the case was referred to ATF and one of our agents responded.”
“What began as a single incident ultimately grew into a much larger, standalone investigation,” Lozano said. “The scope of the case is reflected in the federal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“When you break down 10 pounds of meth into street-level quantities, you’re removing millions of dollars from the illegal drug trade,” Lozano said. “More importantly, you’re preventing someone else’s child from being introduced to drugs for the first time.”

“This case represents three years of effort—three Christmases, three Thanksgivings, and thousands of man-hours,” Lozano said. “That commitment matters to ATF. This is what we do.”
Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office, declined to say if more raids are coming.
In total, 20 people have been charged with crimes and two suspects remain on the run. McEvoy confirmed that all individuals taken into custody are US citizens.
Nine defendants face potential life sentences if convicted.
The case is being prosecuted by the US Attorney’s Office with help from ATF, California Highway Patrol, local police departments and the LA County Sheriff’s Department.

Feds bust 16 ruthless Mexican Mafia-linked gangsters — 'Lil Speedy' was caught after losing a shoe