Federal Agents Conduct Massive Gang Sweep
Federal Agents Conduct Massive Gang Sweep
Fourteen hundred federal and state law enforcement officers took part in the sweep, aimed at the Barrio Hawaiian Gardens street gang. Gang members are accused of drug crimes including drug trafficking, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and other charges. The Justice Department also indicated that gang members targeted African-American residents of the area in racially motivated crimes.
The investigation that led up to the sweep was prompted by the shooting death of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy by a member of the gang. The Department of Justice reported that 32 other members named in the indictment were already in custody on other charges, leaving just 27 indicted gang members at large.
The crackdown is one part of a broader effort to restrict gang activity in Southern California. On Saturday, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department announced that it had arrested six gang members in Fillmore amd Moorpark. The six face charges ranging from conspiracy to commit a crime, vandalism, battery, drug possession, and street terrorism. A seventh gang member arrested separately faces drug possession charges.
If you've been arrested for federal or state crimes related to gang activity, you need the assistance of a competent criminal defense attorney like Robert Michael Helfend. Robert Helfend's 25 years' of criminal defense experience in the California court system can help you provide an effective defense. Don't risk your freedom with an inexperienced attorney. Contact Robert Helfend for a consultation today.
Photo Credit: Laurie Avocado, via Flickr