Topic - border gangs

Drunken gang member threatens officers after assault arrest



Michael Montoya



Posted: Thursday, February 5, 2015 3:48 pm
LORENZO ZAZUETA-CASTRO | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — A known gang member threatened officers following his arrest on assault charges early Sunday, authorities say.

Michael Anthony Montoya, 24, of Edinburg, told officers that he would find them and beat them after he and at least one other person assaulted a man walking down the street, according to a criminal complaint.

Police responded to an assault around 2 a.m. near the intersection of Chicago Avenue and Bicentennial Boulevard after a parking lot attendant called to say several men were attacking a man, the complaint states.

The victim, who was not identified, told police he was walking in the opposite direction of the group when one of the men attempted to punch him in the face, which he partially deflected. The victim then said he was able to grab an aluminum cane from one of the men and defend himself momentarily before the group knocked him to the ground, where they kicked and beat him, authorities say.

Police said they were able to locate and detain two of the men in the 200 block of South Bicentennial Boulevard. One of them was Montoya, who also goes by “Shorty” and is a member of the
Valluco street gang court records show.

While in handcuffs, Montoya, who was intoxicated and slurring his speech, began to yell at one of the officers and warned he would look him up and get to him. He continued to threaten officers inside the patrol car while being driven to the police station.

At the station, Montoya acted belligerent toward officers and also threatened a jailer during processing.

“Once the handcuffs come off I’m going to (expletive) you up,” he said, according to the complaint. “Come on (expletive), I told you I was going to (expletive) you up.”

Montoya has a criminal history dating back to 2008 with several felony and misdemeanor convictions for aggravated robbery, resisting arrest and marijuana possession, records show.

In his latest run-in with police, he is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of retaliation against a peace officer, and public intoxication. If convicted of the most serious crime of aggravated assault, a second-degree felony, he faces between two and 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/local...9281ebee2.html