Posted on 06/27/2008 5:39:31 AM PDT by VU4G10
Glassell Park -- Hundreds of police and federal agents swept through the city's northeast area Wednesday, raiding homes and serving search warrants on members of a notorious gang that authorities say has long terrorized the neighborhood and was involved in a deadly police shootout in February.
The raid in Glassell Park was aimed at members of the Drew Avenue clique of the Avenues gang. A federal grand jury indictment returned June 12 and released Wednesday accused 70 people of racketeering, murder, attempted murder of police officers, drug and weapons trafficking, witness intimidation and other crimes.
Police Chief William Bratton compared the street gang to the Mafia and said members faced long federal prison terms if convicted.
The Avenues gang has "been rooted here for a number of generations" and people in the area "are in essence terrorized" by them, Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell said.
More than 500 federal, state and local agents arrested 28 people on charges contained in the indictment and four others for federal immigration violations, the U.S. attorney's office said.
Those arrested included Francisco "Pancho" Real, 26, who was accused in the indictment of being a gang "shot caller," or ringleader. He was arrested in neighboring Glendale.
Another 26 people named in the indictment already were in custody and 16 were being sought, authorities said.
Those already in custody included Real's mother, Maria "Chata" Leon, 44. Twice deported as an illegal immigrant, she was arrested in April and charged with felony re-entry into the United States from Mexico. The federal indictment accuses her and some of her children of drug-dealing and other crimes.
Authorities seized 35 firearms during the raids.
Authorities contend the gang members are part of a generations-old group that controls cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking in their area, levying "taxes" on dealers that they share with the Mexican Mafia prison gang. Prosecutors contend the gang also stages home invasion robberies, extorts money from businesses and sells guns in the graffiti-scarred neighborhood.
The gang members, which used clothing with skull designs to identify themselves, virtually control their neighborhood through violence and intimidation, authorities contend.
"Today's enforcement action deals a major blow to a ruthless criminal organization whose violence and brazenness has made them notorious even among other street gangs," said Robert Schoch, special agent in charge of the Los Angeles office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Drew Street gang members were believed involved in a series of shootings on Feb. 21 that culminated in a shootout between police and gunmen. One man wielding an AK-47 assault rifle was killed.
Police said they confronted Drew Street gang members after the gang-related killing of a man who had been walking with his 2-year-old granddaughter near an elementary school.
In addition to the criminal indictment, the city attorney's office filed nuisance abatement lawsuits against the owners of 10 houses and apartment buildings. The suits seek to require absentee owners to live for a time in their buildings, evict drug dealers from the buildings, and use security guards and security cameras, authorities said.
"We want them to experience that same misery that the people in this neighborhood have had to deal with for so long," City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said.
The operation followed a 10-month investigation and involved local police and state and federal agencies, including the FBI and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
““....more Americans being killed by illegals in America than in Iraq & Afghanistan....”
I would love to see a politician have the guts to say this in public....where did you find it?”
_____________________
Actually several have, no one listened.
Like Rep. Steve King
http://towncriernews.blogspot.com/2006/04/biting-hand-that-feeds-you-read-this.html
___________
Illegal Aliens Kill More Americans Than Iraq War
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/homeland.php?id=737771
www.immigrationshumancost.org
MUST SEE video!!
This is only a couple minutes long. It is a Florida representative of the Attorney General’s office describing the beheading of a young Mexican girl in Florida by a gang of human smugglers from Mexico. You might think we’d hear about something like this on the news!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=TRGC4KCt2s0
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.