Prosecutors alleged that Mexican Mafia member Arturo Tablas Castellanos essentially created a crime wave in the Florence-Firestone district. "He was a really humble hard worker, always walked around with a smile, and he was just really, really nice to be around," an officer told FOX 11. This case was investigated by the DEA-Tri-Cities Task Force, METRO and Pasco Street Crimes Unit, United States Marshals Service, and Benton County Sheriff's Office. The evidence further showed that Sanchez participated in the F13 Gangs drug trafficking activities at the gangs casitas. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Their seamless partnership resulted in the successful outcome of this matter. ft. home is a 3 bed, 2.0 bath property. U.S. District Judge David Carter sentenced Florencia member Francisco Flores, 24, to life in prison on Wednesday, saying that he preyed on victims because they were black and for no other reason, according to a U.S. attorneys office news release. The action drew international attention and plaudits from a host of civil and human rights groups, including the ACLU and Amnesty International. Four more await trial; two have died and four are fugitives. In March 2010, Dorado and Fazah received an order from an incarcerated, senior member of the F13 gang instructing them beat and kill the victim. In a letter released by inmate advocates, Castellanos denounced the federal investigation as a set-up and described Florencia 13 as his old childhood street gang. He has also questioned why the feds only named him as an unindicted co-conspirator (Castellanos and the secret note were also mentioned in a 2007 indictment against other alleged gang members). Central District of California (Los Angeles) Homicides dropped to 10 last year. Instead, residents said, they lived amid a race war. The operation involved the Los Angeles High- Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the IRS, and the Los Angeles County Probation Department. Southside Florencia (F13) in Florence / South Los Angeles Jessica Chasmar is a digital writer on the politics team for Fox News and Fox Business. "It was important that Castellanos not be let out, because he holds sway over gang members to do things they would otherwise not want to do," Hernandez said. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. They called themselves Florencia, after the east-west thoroughfare that ran through the heart of their territory. An additional six defendants were already in custody prior to todays takedown in connection with state charges. ndiscriminate shootings of Black and Latino residents. The verdicts remove these violent defendants from our community and deal an important blow against the Florencia 13 gangs campaign of drugs and violence., Dorado and Fazah alone were found guilty of conspiring to commit a Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering (VICAR) for a gang-related beating in Huntington Park that ultimately led to the shooting death of the victim. Four Florencia-13 members have gone on to join the Mexican Mafia, law enforcement officials have testified in prosecutions of the gang: Arturo Castellanos, known as Tablas; his brother Braulio, nicknamed Babo; Juan Topo Garcia and Leonel Wizard Laredo. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Casado had been released on bond since her arrest in August 2013; however, after the verdicts Judge OConnell ordered her remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. This multi-agency law enforcement effort exhibits the positive community impact of focused, diligent and dedicated investigative work, said ATF Special Agent in Charge Eric D. Harden. The robbery and killing of an off-duty Los Angeles police officer this month was allegedly the work of Florencia 13 (F13), a Latino street gang largely controlled by the Mexican Mafia. In the rules seized by law enforcement, Arturo Castellanos allegedly told his gang that he and his brother have shown you all our love for the barrio by making sure you homies never get taxed or green lighted by no one.. Let those who use, get it on the outskirts., Gangs whose members have gone on to join the Mexican Mafia are less likely to be extorted or targeted for violence green-lighted than gangs that lack representation in the Mexican Mafia. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, Concertgoer lets out a loud full body orgasm while L.A. Phil plays Tchaikovskys 5th, L.A. Affairs: I had my reasons for not dating white men. Anthony Williams, DEA Special Agent in Charge, commented: This multi-agency, coordinated investigation identified a network of drug traffickers tied directly to one of the most violent Mexican drug cartels La Familia or the Knights Templar. The Florencia 13, South Side Florencia 13 or Florence Gang is an American criminal street gang based in Los Angeles, California, composed mainly of Mexican-Americans. The prison system is a segregated place. Many of the victims, Black and Latino, had no gang affiliations. Arturo. Florencia 13 - WikiMili, The Best Wikipedia Reader ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The Sheriffs Department added about 30 deputies, and last year it brought an injunction against Florencia. Wizard, 47, who is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas allegedly directed F13s operations in the unincorporated Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South Los Angeles, as well as parts of Lynwood, Maywood, Bell and other nearby communities. Jose Dorado, also known as Yogi, 35, and Tannous Fazah, aka Terrorist, 27, both of Huntington Park, were F13 gang soldiers who, among other things, participated in the murder of a junior member of the gang. Other edicts allegedly issued by Castellanos guided Florencia 13 into a turf battle against rival gangs. LOS ANGELES - A federal jury late Tuesday convicted three men and one woman from Los Angeles County of conspiring to participate in the racketeering activities of the Florencia 13 criminal street gang (F13 Gang), as well as of related drug trafficking and firearms offenses. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, What GOPs plan for Medicaid work requirements would mean, Column: A centrist, third-party alternative for 2024 is a nice idea but a nightmare in practice, Chinese man who reported on COVID to be released after 3 years. Luis De La Rosa Rios, Jesse Contreras, Ernesto Cisneros and Haylee Grisham have been charged in federal court with Arroyos' killing. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The notes, he said, were written by Arturo Castellanos in his cell at Pelican Bay State Prison, where he was and still is serving a life sentence for murder. Running a criminal organization while locked inside one of America's most secure prisons requires imagination, cunning and ruthlessness. [13] The indictments included charges of drug trafficking, attempted murder, murder and extortion. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Arturo Cruz, 34, was sentenced to 60 years in prison. A second indictment unsealed today alleges that five F13 members and associates, working out of a South Los Angeles hookah lounge, participated in a scheme to distribute methamphetamine. A locked padlock Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Rene Enriquez, a former Mexican Mafia leader who is cooperating with federal prosecutors, said Castellanos brazen style suggests he wants to be indicted and sent to federal prison where he can enjoy a host of privileges banned at Pelican Bay, including monthly phone calls and freedom of movement in a general population facility. Central District of California | Three Gang Members and One Gang As demonstrated at trial, Dorado, Fazah, and Sanchez were F13 Gang soldiers who engaged in narcotics trafficking, violence, and/or firearms possession in furtherance of the gang. Los Angeles, California 90012. As part of the alliance between the criminal enterprises, the indicted members and associates of the Mexican Mafia helped La Familia distribute narcotics by ordering, instructing, and informing Hispanic gang members to protect La Familia drug shipments and sales, to prevent criminal taxation of La Familia drug shipments and sales, and to collect drug debts, according to the indictment, which also alleges that Mexican Mafia members would protect incarcerated members of La Familia. Legal Statement. The gang is now at the center of the killing earlier this month of an off-duty Los Angeles police officer. LOS ANGELES - A federal jury late Tuesday convicted three men and one woman from Los Angeles County of conspiring to participate in the racketeering activities of the Florencia 13 criminal street gang (F13 Gang), as well as of related drug trafficking and firearms offenses.. Jose Dorado, 34, Tannous Fazah, 26, Jose Sanchez, 40, all of Huntington Park, and Giselle Casado, 33, of Downey, were . Braulio Castellanos has been serving a life sentence since 1988 for two counts of second-degree murder. This case is an example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal agencies collaborate to investigate, arrest, and successfully prosecute these violent criminals.. The letter outlines rules, or reglas, drawn up by Mexican Mafia members for associates operating on the streets. Jesse Contreras, 34; Ernesto Cisneros, 22; Luis Alfredo de la Rosa Rios, 27, and Haylee Marie Grisham, 18, are charged with murdering Officer Fernando Arroyos in a violent crime in aid of. At the time of sentencing, all defendants will face a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment on the RICO Conspiracy and Drug Trafficking Conspiracy counts, as well as mandatory minimum prison terms of 10 years based on the amounts of methamphetamine at issue. The Mexican Mafia's influence on the streets stems in part from its power inside California jails and prisons. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images). The indictment alleges that two incarcerated Mexican Mafia members are the leaders of the Florencia 13 gang, and that they directed the activities of the street gang from a California state prison and received payments derived from the gang's illegal activities. Sanchez will face an additional five-year mandatory, consecutive term of imprisonment due to his conviction for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Now we have demonstrated our ability to stop the Mexican Mafia from realizing a new power base by disrupting the gangs plot to establish a threatening alliance with a major drug trafficking organization.. Additionally, Sanchez was found guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, based on his possession of a handgun at one of the illegal gambling establishments run by the gang known as casitas.. With the four convictions last summer, a total of 25 defendants have been convicted in the case (one charged defendant died, and the other four remain fugitives). The district attorneys office devoted a prosecutor to Florence-Firestone gang cases. The robbery and killing of an off-duty Los Angeles police officer this month was allegedly the work of Florencia 13 (F13), a Latino street gang largely controlled by the Mexican Mafia. During the course of this investigation, authorities seized more than 600 pounds of methamphetamine and charged an additional six defendants in state court. They also arrested 25 members and associates of the San Fernando Valley-based Vineland boys. The investigation into Florencia 13 was led by ATF and included the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Huntington Park Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. "F13 is a large, multi-generational street gang that previously has been the subject of federal prosecutions, including two large racketeering cases," the DOJ said. An official website of the United States government. It also demands a firm set of rules and a way to impose them on operatives on the streets, often violent and obstreperous gang members. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. These shot callers were then ordered to coordinate the illegal distribution of drugs and other criminal activities, to ensure that extortionate taxes were collected, and otherwise to oversee their respective portions of the gangs territory, such as by resolving disputes both among F13 gang members and associates and with members of other Los Angeles gangs, the indictment states. One of the indictments unsealed today alleges that defendants linked to the gang trafficked methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and other drugs in their territory and attempted to smuggle narcotics into the state prison system. Florencia-13 has opened unlicensed dispensaries in South Los Angeles, selling not just marijuana out of the storefronts but cocaine and methamphetamine as well, the former member said. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Florencia 13 is one of the largest, most powerful and oldest street gangs in Southern California. Luis De La Rosa Rios, Jesse Contreras, Ernesto Cisneros and Haylee Grisham have been charged in federal court with Arroyos killing. None could be reached for comment, and they have yet to enter pleas. The sentencing of six Florencia 13 gang members to life in prison appears to bring to a close a prolonged and terrifying spate of violence in the Florence-Firestone district allegedly brought on by orders from a prison gang member in solitary confinement 700 miles away. or redistributed. A lock ( 312 North Spring Street Dorado and Fazah also were found guilty of possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute it (heroin and methamphetamine, respectively) and of each being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Gang members have been charged with offenses ranging. In April 2017, one defendant, Samuel Flores Mejia, a.k.a. The three men are members of Florencia-13, according to. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Los Angeles Police officers bow their heads in prayer to honor their fallen colleague, Officer Fernando Arroyos, who was shot and killed during an armed robbery. Los Angeles gang areas highlights of this tour Mexican Mafia member sentenced to life for murdering fellow mafioso The dealers were already paying off the Florencia-13 leadership and supplying them with cocaine, he testified. There is no reliable estimate of how much money Florencia-13 generates for its Mexican Mafia overlords. By then Florencia 13 had bulged to include three dozen cliquesroughly 2,000 members in alland joined 18th Street and the Salvadoran Mara Salvatrucha as some of Southern California's . Two male Florencia members, aged 19 and 20, were arrested for involvement in the incident. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Federal prosecutors charge alleged gang members with killing off-duty The particular charge that prosecutors have brought against the four violent crime in aid of racketeering means they must make the case that the defendants robbed and murdered Arroyos to maintain or increase their standing within Florencia-13. For her part, Casado was shown to be a secretary who assisted the extortionate tax collections and drug trafficking activities of the gangs two shot callers on the streets; and she also repeatedly visited the operational leader of the gang Mexican Mafia member Leonel Laredo, aka Wizard imprisoned at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City, California, to relay gang-related messages. Dorado, Fazah, and Sanchez have all been held without bond since entering federal custody. Operation Joker's Wild investigated the gang's drug trafficking, extortion of street criminals, and racially based murders of African Americans in the area. They just went out and started shooting at black people, Hernandez said. Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca stated: The successful results of this joint operation allowed law enforcement to intervene in the development of a very strong and powerful merger between dangerous criminal organizations. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Members of the Latino Florencia 13 gang have left their tag at numerous places along a stretch of Florence Avenue in the Florence area of L.A. County. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. At the conclusion of the brutal beating that ensued, Fazah brandished a handgun and shot the victim in the face, killing him. Authorities arrested 11 members and associates of the South Los Angeles-based Florencia 13. These two investigations disrupted the criminal activities of the Mexican Mafia, the Los Angeles street gang Florencia 13, and the Mexican Mafias relationship with the La Familia drug cartel, which is responsible for using firearms to commit violent crimes and trafficking hundreds of thousands of pounds of controlled substances into the United States, Said Steven J. Bogdalek, ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division. Theres still some concern, and I would even say some fear, but with a little F -- not fear like there was, Pastor Le Grande said. The indictment unsealed today focuses on how the gang has generated illicit profits through the sale of drugs and firearms, fraud, and extortion. Central District of California | 13 Linked To Mexican Mafia And La The indictment alleges that Laredo ran the street gang from prison with a goal of enriching himself, family members and associates through extortionate taxes taken from drug dealers and businesses in F13s territory. Six of her spring victories . All rights reserved. The suspects were alleged members of Florencia 13, and are facing murder and attempted murder charges.[12]. F13 members shot him "three or four times, but he survived." The F13 indictment marks the third high-profile Latino gang charged with attacking blacks in the past two years. Florencia Davel on LinkedIn: #transformacincultural #diversidad # Four Members and Associates of the Florencia 13 Gang Convicted He's family to us.". Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Ciaran McEvoy (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images). The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The three men are members of Florencia-13, according to. Prosecutors alleged Castellanos was a Mexican Mafia member and undisputed leader of Florencia 13 and its associated cliques, and that he received payments from the gangs illegal activities into his inmate trust account. Florencia 13 - Wikipedia After the jury returned its verdicts, United States District Judge Beverly Reid OConnell scheduled sentencing hearings for October 24, 2016. How snitches and sex offenders are rooted out and punished. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Chief United States District Judge Stanley Bastian sentenced Leon to a 160-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released from prison. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Castellanos was not indicted because he is already serving a life prison term in a maximum security cell in Pelican Bay State Prison. In 2007, 102 members of Florencia 13 were listed in indictments, under the operation, leading to the biggest gang raid in American history at the time, with 96 of the 102 members taken into custody. Arroyos and his assailants exchanged gunfire. "There's a fascination with gangs," said founder Alfred Lomas, a former member of the Florencia 13 gang. Three years after the Florencia indictment, residents say, a measure of calm has come to Florence-Firestone. Jose Rodriguez-Landa, also known as Fox and Fox Tapia, 49, of Michoacn, an alleged Mexican Mafia member currently in custody in a Los Angeles County jail; Michael Moreno, aka Boo, 55, of Fresno, an alleged member of the Mexican Mafia, who was arrested this morning; Fred Anthony Montoya, aka Fast Freddy, 46, of Antioch, California, an alleged Mexican Mafia member who is currently in custody in a California state prison; Freddie Montes, 44, of Castaic, an alleged member of La Familia, who was arrested this morning; Luis Gerardo Vega, aka Little and Little One, 30, of the Pico-Union district of Los Angeles, an alleged Mexican Mafia member who is currently in custody in a Los Angeles County jail; Manuel Larry Jackson, aka Cricket, 49, of Monterey Park, an alleged Mexican Mafia member, who was arrested this morning; Jimmy Ruben Soto, aka Rube and Old Man, 77, of Visalia, an alleged member of the Mexican Mafia, who was arrested this morning; Raymond Lozano, 36, of San Diego, an alleged Mexican Mafia associate who is currently incarcerated in a federal prison; Efrain Isak Rosales, aka Tucn, 35, an alleged member of La Familia who resides in Michoacn and who is currently being sought by authorities; Sonia Apodaca, aka Shorty, 44, of El Monte, an alleged secretary of the Mexican Mafia, who was arrested this morning; Claudia Garcia, aka Giggles, 42, of the Gramercy Park district of Los Angeles, an alleged associate of the Mexican Mafia, who was arrested this morning; Adam Rios, aka Blanco, 35, of Slymar, an alleged associate of La Familia, who was arrested this morning; and.