Free Republic

A federal grand jury indicted almost two dozen alleged Texas Mexican Mafia members Tuesday on racketeering charges that involve more than 20 slayings in San Antonio, Austin and Atascosa County. Most of the 23 defendants, part of the state's largest prison gang, already were in custody on lesser or temporary charges. FBI agents, San Antonio police and members of a gang task force fanned out to arrest the remaining few only hours after the indictment Tuesday, according to law enforcement and legal sources. The indictment ups the ante, with charges that could result in the death penalty against some of...

Reputed gang members have been disappearing from the streets of South Florida. Four members of the Latin Kings in Broward, gone. The leader of a Mara Salvatrucha-13 crew in Lake Worth, nowhere to be seen. Members of Los Vatos Locos and 18th Street Gang, vanquished from the streets of Miami. On Friday, it was revealed why. LocalLinks During the past few weeks, authorities have rounded up 22 suspected gang members in South Florida as part of a national sweep that netted 375 gang members in 23 states. The initiative is part of Operation Community Shield, an anti-gang program aimed at...