Posted on 12/07/2020 8:25:10 AM PST by ransomnote
LOS ANGELES – Three members of a Gardena street gang that operates in several states under the control of the Mexican Mafia, have been charged in federal court with violent crime in aid of racketeering for allegedly participating in a shooting that resulted in the death of a 29-year-old man who was gunned down in front of his home.
One of the defendants, Jesus Francisco Hernandez, was taken into custody this morning by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations. Hernandez is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
The three defendants are charged in a criminal complaint alleging they participated in the November 13 murder of the victim, who is identified in court papers as “E.C.” The charged defendants, all residents of Gardena, are:
A fourth man who allegedly participated in the attack – G. Hernandez, who is Jesus Hernandez’s older brother and who is described in court papers as a longtime documented gang member – was shot by E.C.’s father during the November 13 incident and later died at a hospital.
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, E.C. and his brother were seated in parked car near their driveway when they were confronted by three men on foot – G. Hernandez, Yanez and Arteaga. E.C.’s brother told the men they were not affiliated with a gang and they were simply in front of their longtime home. As the men neared the parked car, E.C. stepped out of the vehicle while his brother texted their father, asking him to bring his gun outside because of the escalating situation.
The affidavit alleges that G. Hernandez swung at E.C., who swung back, and all three assailants pulled out guns and began shooting. The father saw the text message and soon after heard approximately 15-20 gunshots. The father came out to the car and saw G. Hernandez approximately 50 yards down the street. G. Hernandez began shooting at the father, who returned fire and struck G. Hernandez. One of the other gunman also fired at the father after G. Hernandez fell to the ground.
Police and paramedics responded to the scene, where they treated E.C., but he died soon after as a result of the 10 gunshot wounds he suffered. G. Hernandez, who was found lying on the street with gunshot wounds to his head and chest, was brought to a hospital, where he died several days later.
Soon after the shooting, Gardena Police officers arrested J. Hernandez and Yanez in the backyard of a nearby residence. Responding officers also recovered four 9mm handguns, three of which were “ghost guns” with no serial numbers.
Arteaga was arrested on November 17 at Los Angeles International Airport as he was preparing to board a one-way flight to Guadalajara, Mexico. He was wearing the same hat he was seen wearing on security video taken the night of the shooting, according to the affidavit.
Yanez and Arteaga initially were charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which has dismissed those charges in light of the federal racketeering case. Jesus Hernandez was not charged after he was detained by local authorities.
The federal complaint alleges that the murder of E.C. was committed to further the power of the Gardena 13 street gang, which is described in the affidavit as a criminal enterprise that has documented membership in California, Nevada, Texas, Hawaii and Rosarito, Mexico. The Gardena Police Department believes the gang distributes narcotics, primarily methamphetamine, both locally and in Hawaii.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The violent crime in aid of racketeering offense alleged in the complaint carries a statutory maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in federal prison because victim E.C. was murdered.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gardena Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
Meanwhile LA’s asshat mayor thinks CV19 is the city’s biggest threat.
If every gang banger (of all races) across the nation mysteriously dropped dead one morning can you imagine how much life would improve for their victim-neighbors?
Living without fear, able to not worry about their kids being drawn into shorter lives of crime followed by eternal hell, and just be able to start building a future without that millstone hung beneath their wings.
And that’s the start.
Wonder what the citizenship status is of those three crumb bums...
Good to see that there will be a considerable penalty BUT considering US Attorney records, not too encouraging.
They’re more noted for prosecuting the wrong guys - like Scooter Libby..and Blago who was prosecuted for the crime of THINKING about committing a possible crime and the guy from the Southern District of NY with the funny name that President Trump fired..all over CNN with his opinions now. Hope the one in L. A. gets the job done but it’s really a questionable bunch of people in those jobs...
“”The violent crime in aid of racketeering offense alleged in the complaint carries a statutory maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in federal prison because victim E.C. was murdered.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gardena Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.””
Back in the 1950s Gardena was a pretty bucolic place, and the largest minority was Japanese.
John McCain (R-Hell) famously unleashed a profanity-laden rant against colleagues who wanted to deport foreign gang-bangers. He hated Americans that much.
Yup, I grew up there. I went to grammar school and junior high with many Japanese. The nicest, most polite, un-assuming people I've ever known. They had a lot of moral integrity and a appreciation of what America stands for second to none. A very close friend was Japanese or nissey or whatever the word was for second generation Japanese-Americans.
The only thing I know about Gardena is that they used to have dirt track races there at Ascot Speedway.
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