Friday, October 16, 2009

ICE ARRESTS 300 LOS ANGELES GANG MEMBER CRIMINALS - ONLY 800,000 TO GO!

ICE arrests nearly 300 local gang members as part of nationwide anti-gang effort

Daily News Wire Services
Updated: 10/15/2009 11:32:38 AM PDT


Authorities arrested 293 people in the Southland during a six-month anti-gang operation that netted 1,780 arrests nationwide in what a federal agency called the largest-ever nationwide anti-gang surge.
The law enforcement operation, conducted in 89 cities, ended Sept. 30, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

As part of Operation Community Shield, federal ICE agents worked with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to target transnational gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13), Surenos-13, the 18th Street Gang, Latin Kings, Bloods, Crips and Vatos Locos.

Such gangs have significant numbers of foreign-born members and are frequently involved in human smuggling and trafficking; narcotics smuggling and distribution; identity theft and benefits fraud; money laundering and bulk cash smuggling; weapons smuggling and arms trafficking; cyber crimes; export violations; and other crimes with a nexus to the border, ICE reported.

"Operation Community Shield has progressed from a program that targeted individual gang members for arrest, prosecution and removal to a successful strategy of dismantling the violent transnational gangs themselves," said Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for ICE John Morton.

"The success of our public safety campaign in 2009 is testament to our unique law-enforcement authority and the strong partnerships we enjoy with our law enforcement partners from across the country," Morton said.
1,785 people arrested during the operation, 1,472 were gang members, associates or those otherwise criminally charged -- including almost 35 percent with violent criminal histories and 16 gang leaders. The others were arrested for immigration violations during the enforcement action and are in the midst of deportation proceedings.
ICE agents arrested 905 people on criminal charges ranging from attempted murder, aggravated assault and drug and firearms violations to charges of re-entering the country after deportation. Among those arrested were Elmer Fredy Hernandez-Ayala, a 29-year-old Salvadoran national and member of the 18th Street gang who was arrested in Los Angeles for re-entry after deportation.

Prior to his last deportation in March 2004, he was convicted of hit-and-run resulting in death or bodily injury. Hernandez's criminal history also includes charges of robbery, sodomy, battery and burglary.
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