Posted on 12/05/2002 8:40:05 AM PST by citizen
Gangs caught in crackdown: 51 alleged members face charges
By LATEEF MUNGIN and BILL RANKIN Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writers
A highly organized Hispanic crime syndicate has been operating on the eastern crescent of metro Atlanta for at least six years, committing five murders and wounding a police officer, federal authorities said Wednesday.
In five indictments unsealed Wednesday, federal authorities laid out the alleged operation of La Gran Familia, an intricate and well-financed umbrella group for four gangs. The parent organization, authorities claim, is financed by the gangs' robberies, drug dealing and car thefts and used violence to enforce its territory, which ranged from Hall County to Clayton County,
One gang shot a six-months pregnant woman in the back because her husband was a member of a rival gang, the indictment says.
The gangs have a code of conduct, identifying tattoos for members, dues requirements and rigidly enforced turf, according to the indictments. They require recruits to accumulate points, based on crimes committed, to be admitted to the gangs, and sanctioned at least seven drive-by shootings since 1997, the federal documents claim.
The indictments, against 51 alleged gang members, rely heavily on the federal racketeering statutes used against organized crime.
By using those laws, authorities can target gang members' organizations and not just focus on their isolated crimes. In the past, federal prosecutors in Atlanta have successfully used the so-called RICO laws to get convictions against the violent Loc Lam Vietnamese street gang and, more recently, against a number of area pimps who used juvenile girls.
A task force of federal and local authorities targeted "the most violent gangs operating within the city of Atlanta," U.S. Attorney Bill Duffey said.
"The scope of the gangs literally pervades the city," he said. "It is our hope and our goal . . . to dismantle the gangs and protect members of this city."
Eleven of the suspects are in custody on related state charges, covering some of the homicides, prior to the federal indictments. Police were rounding up the other suspects late Wednesday, and some made initial court appearances.
Pedro Marin, a member of the Graffiti Hurts coalition in Gwinnett, said the arrests will help.
"Kudos to the task force," said Marin, recently elected to the state House. "We have to institute tougher laws and find creative ways to get these gang members."
In addition to the homicides, the indictments, one for each of the gangs, suggest widespread violence, including:
A Jan. 7, 1997, attack on patrons at a Hall County restaurant;
The May 23, 1999, kidnapping of five people and the shooting of a police officer during a robbery at the People's Employment Agency in DeKalb;
A Dec. 11, 1999, gunfight with a rival gang at a flea market in DeKalb County;
A Nov. 8, 2000, drive-by shooting in Gwinnett County against members of a rival gang in which a bullet came close to wounding a 5-year-old boy;
The March 7, 2002, shooting of the pregnant woman, identified only as M.B.B., because her husband had been a member of the rival Marasalvatrucha-13 gang.
Gangs are in every metro Atlanta county, but the task force focused on Gwinnett, where local police say they have identified 1,660 people in 171 gangs, FBI spokesman Jeff Holmes said.
The gangs named in the indictments are the Latin Kings, Pachucos-21, Riverside Locos, Malditos-13 and Brown Side Locos. Malditos means "the damned." All operated under the controlling gang, La Gran Familia, Duffey said.
The indictments did not provide ages for all those named, but the alleged gang members appear to range in age from 18 to 27.
"This won't solve Gwinnett's gang problem, but it is a step in the right direction," police Lt. Greg Fowler said. "We have been working on the gang problem for more than 10 years."
The indictments stem from investigations by a federal gang task force, which was established earlier this year and hit the streets in October. Members of the FBI, INS and Gwinnett, DeKalb, Duluth and Chamblee police departments are all members of the task force.
Staff writer Rick Badie contributed to this article.
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INDICTMENTS MAP TRAIL OF VIOLENCE
Among the violent crimes alleged in the indictments:
On May 23, 1999, prosecutors say, an unidentified gang member referred to as "Lil Payaso" and others not named in the indictment shot a police officer during a robbery at an employment agency in DeKalb County.
On Nov. 8, 2000, prosecutors say, Mark "Creeper" Gaitan and Ruben "Boxer" Hernandez committed a drive-by shooting against members of a rival gang, almost hitting a 5-year-old boy who was outside washing his father's car in Gwinnett County.
On Nov. 21, 2000, prosecutors say, Abeddys "King Abbs" Montalvan, Freddy "Shadow" Ochoa and an unidentified informant referred to in court papers as "Lucky" shot and killed two suspected members of Sur-11, a rival street gang.
On March 12, 2001, prosecutors say, two unidentified gang members referred to in court papers as "Tiny" and "Joker" shot and killed a man in DeKalb County.
On April 16, prosecutors say, Jose Angel Martinez-Gutierrez and Juan Jose Mata shot and killed a man during an armed robbery at a convenience store in Clayton County.
-- Associated Press
We all know that the Illegals are only sneaking in so they can do the work no one else will do, all the politicians (liberals, President Bush & most Pubbies) tell us that every day.
So this article simply can't be correct.
/sarcasm off
Heck, many of 'em were probably born here.
Georgia?
Boy, I wonder how many are here illegally? Probably at least half.
So, you can't go to a restaurant or employment office.
Does anyone else note a linguistic commonality in the names of these gangs?
The chip on the shoulder defines the Mexican/hispanic personae.
Sounds like you have a problem with the whole race rather than the "illegals."
One gang shot a six-months
at least seven drive-by shootings
gunfight with a rival gang
drive-by shooting
shooting of the pregnant woman
It's obvious the problem is too many guns. If there were more gun laws, we would be safe
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