CA: Operation Swift Intruder Targets Vineland Boyz Again

KNBC 4 ^ | 7/19/05

[BurbankKarl]

BURBANK, Calif. -- About 600 police officers raided homes from the San Fernando Valley to Palmdale overnight, in Operation Swift Intruder, a broad operation targeting violent gang members suspected in the shooting deaths of two officers.

The raid on members of the Vineland Boyz follows a similar, larger raid against the gang last month.

LAPD Lt. Paul Vernon said officers were serving search warrants at more than 20 locations and had made at least 14 arrests by 6 a.m. Vernon said that two other suspects were already in custody, bringing the number of alleged gang members in custody to 16.

A Vineland Boyz' member allegedly was responsible for fatally shooting LAPD Officer James Beyea of the North Hollywood Station during a 1988 burglary. On Nov. 15, 2003, rookie Burbank police Officer Matthew Pavelka was killed in a shootout with suspected members of the gang when he and his partner arrived to provide backup to other officers in the 2900 block of North San Fernando Bnulevard.

"It's (Pavelka's) death that led to this task force being put together, on the promise that this gang would be put out of business," Los Angeles police Lt. Paul Vernon said.

Last week, a Burbank city councilwoman was arrested when police linked her to the gang.

The multi-agency task force behind the operation includes officers from Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena police, as well as members of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, U.S. Marshal's Service and the Internal Revenue Service, according to NBC4's Robert Kovacik.

Kovacik said police believe they "cut off the head of the Vineland Boyz gang" when they arrested 36 suspects in last month's sweep, which was dubbed Operation Silent Night.

[television is just wrong]

I have a friend who lives next door to the City Manager. I will have to have a talk with her. This woman does not deserve to sit on the Council seat.

[California74]

hmmm... i graduated from Burroughs High 13 years ago (gasp, I am old), and I didn't know any of them gangstas. Then again, they're not the crowd I'd have hung around with anyway. I wonder where my yearbook is...

[amom]

May I echo your "I want to know how she was able to vote on all those airport expansion projects while she was working for a cab company that did major business at the airport. Isn't that a major conflict of interest? I think the whole thing stinks to high heaven."

I finished reading the indictment and have absolutely no sympathy for dear dear Stacy. I really hope these folks who have been attending the CC meetings for so many years pounding on the airport issue get some questions answered now. My admiration for all the LE who are out there holding the line.

[BurbankKarl]

The people arrested this morning were drug dealers that bought from the Vineland Boyz to resell to customers in their respective neighborhoods.

Now they are saying there is a second grand jury indictment referring to these cats...I wonder if I can pry that out of the DOJ. Will work on that tomorrow.

[BurbankKarl]

how about any of these Vineland Boyz?





Jose De Jesus Agredano, 39, a fugitive believed to be residing in Mexico;
Espiridion Aranda, 26, of Sun Valley, who is currently in federal custody;
Ricardo Avila, 29, of Sylmar;
Eric Avina, 25, of Sun Valley, who is currently in state prison;
Ruben Ayala, 30, of Sylmar;
Ricardo Barba, 20, of Sun Valley;
Jaime Bautista, 30, of Sun Valley;
Gilberto Carrasco, 35, of Sun Valley;
Carlos Able Cassillas, 34, of Sylmar;
Carlos Campos, 34, of Winnetka;
Saign Mahaya Charlsestein, 26, of Sylmar;
Jesus Contreras, 32, of Sun Valley;
Javier Covarrubias, 21, of Sun Valley, who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of a witness to a crime, and is already in state custody;
David Garcia, 21, Sun Valley, who is currently in Los Angeles County jail facing charges of murdering a Police Officer and who faces a potential death penalty in the federal case;
Luis Garcia, 32, of Rosamond;
Juan Cedona Gomez, 41, of Bakersfield;
Ignacio Haro, 26, of Sun Valley, previously in custody in Los Angeles County Jail;
Joel Haro, 29, of Sun Valley;
Baldemar Hernandez, 34, of Palmdale;
Ameer Khan, 28, of North Hollywood;
Jose Ledesma, 22, Sun Valley, who is currently in state prison and who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of the witness;
Marcelino Macias, 29, of Rosamond;
Ruben Medina, 30, of Sun Valley;
Ernesto Mendez, 38, of Sylmar;
Jose Luis Mejia, 35, of Bakersfield, in custody;
Sergio Mejia, 38, of Bakersfield;
Joel Morin Rangel, 41, of Pacoima;
Luz Maria Rangel, 29, of Pacoima;
Raul Robledo, 27, of Sun Valley, who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of the witness, previously in custody;
Agustin Rodriguez, 32, of Sun Valley, previously in custody;
Gustavo Rodriguez, 31, Sun Valley, who is currently in federal prison and who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of a rival gangster;
Alonzo Saenz Rangel, 35, of Valencia;
Juan Salinas, 25, of Sun Valley;
Alberto Sanchez, 28, of Perris, who is currently in jail in San Bernardino County;
Arnold Sandoval, 30, of Sun Valley, who is currently in state prison;
Jesus Sandoval, 22, of Sun Valley;
Luis Sandoval, 22, Sun Valley, who is currently in state prison and who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of the witness;
Cleto Vasquez, 31, of Sun Valley;
Horacio Yepiz, 31, of Sun Valley, who was already in federal custody and who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of a rival gang member;
Hilda Rodriguez Yepiz, 35, of Reseda;
Manuel Yepiz, 30, of Shadow Hills;
Rafael Yepiz, 33, of Reseda; and
Francisco Zambrano, 27, of Mission Hills.