3 O.C. Mexican Mafia members, 28 associates charged with various federal offenses

Allegations embrace homicide, tried homicide, drug and gun offenses

Three Orange County Mexican Mafia members and 28 of their associates have been charged with a number of federal offenses in a grand jury indictment, officers introduced Wednesday.

The indictment consists of costs of racketeering, homicide and tried homicide, conspiring to visitors narcotics, distributing, and possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, utilizing a firearm to trigger a loss of life and different firearm costs, in response to the U.S. Division of Justice.

Officers say the gang, often known as “La Eme” preyed on susceptible communities utilizing concern and violence, managed nearly all of road gangs all through Orange County and acquired “taxes” paid by these gangs to permit them to deal medicine in that space.

The indictment alleges that the Mexican Mafia was comprised of largely senior members of Latino gangs working in Southern California and in state prisons. Members allegedly divided management of assorted areas in Southern California with members answerable for overseeing prison actions in that territory and receiving “taxes” paid by fuel to permit them to deal medicine.

The O.C. Mexican Mafia additionally allegedly engaged in drug distribution out and in of prisons and jails, and maintained authority over Latino road gangs by way of violence.

From someday in 2016 to no less than this month, defendants Johnny Martinez, Robert Aguirre and Dennis Ortiz had been allegedly the O.C. Mexican Mafia members answerable for prison actions in Orange County and inside prisons and jails within the county, the indictment alleges.

Defendants Omar Mejia, Miguel Jose Alvarado, Luis Heriberto Vasquez, Michael Cooper and Abraham Guajardo allegedly held positions of shot-callers or mouthpieces for Martinez, Aguirre, and Ortiz, whereas defendant Robert Martinez held a place of authority throughout the county jail as Johnny Martinez’s consultant, officers mentioned.

Moreover, defendant Brenda Vanessa Campos Martinez served as a secretary for Johnny Martinez, and defendant Danielle Canales served in an identical capability for Johnny Martinez and Cooper.

Violent crimes alleged in opposition to the O.C. Mexican Mafia embrace:

• The Jan. 19, 2017 armed theft and deadly capturing of R.R.
• The Aug. 21, 2017 deadly capturing of R.V., who was shot seven instances at the back of the pinnacle and physique and left lifeless on the road in Orange
• The Aug. 5, 2017 tried homicide of defendant Munoz, who had fallen out of favor with the O.C. Mexican Mafia and was shot seven instances;
• The Dec. 1, 2017 tried homicide of D.D., a consultant of a road gang, who was allegedly abusing his energy and authority throughout the O.C. Mexican Mafia
• The Dec. 12, 2017 tried homicide of E.O., an O.C. Mexican Mafia affiliate incarcerated at Calipatria State Jail, believed to have violated the O.C. Mexican Mafia’s code by warning people that they had been focused by the O.C. Mexican Mafia, and suffered a number of accidents, together with puncture wounds to his torso
• The Dec. 25, 2017 tried homicide of R.M. for apparently disrespecting defendant Johnny Martinez
• The July 29, 2020 tried homicide of F.B., a member of a road gang incarcerated on the Theo Lacy Facility, who was focused as a result of he supposedly claimed that he would converse to authorities in regards to the Mexican Mafia, and whose throat was slit
• Two homicide makes an attempt on Jan. 5, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2019, of defendant Cooper, who had fallen out of favor with defendants Johnny Martinez and Aguirre. In a single incident he was stabbed a number of instances within the head and again space, and within the second was lower within the throat and face.

Throughout the yearslong investigation, dubbed “Operation Evening Owl,” authorities performed undercover purchases of meth and heroin from O.C. Mexican Mafia associates who had been allegedly promoting the medicine on behalf of Johnny Martinez and the gang.

Twenty-one of the 31 defendants charged within the indictment had been already in custody, whereas 9 had been arrested Wednesday morning.

These arrested are anticipated to be arraigned Wednesday, and people already in custody will seem in court docket as soon as all the defendants are in federal custody, officers mentioned.

A number of the costs can carry a most penalty of life in jail.

A number of federal and native legislation enforcement companies are investigating the case.

“The Mexican Mafia allegedly preyed on susceptible communities by way of concern, violence, and intimidation,” mentioned Assistant Legal professional Basic Kenneth A. Well mannered, Jr. of the Justice Division’s prison division.

“The Mexican Mafia in Orange County controls nearly all of native gangs and guidelines by threatening violence and exacting violence on their enemies or in opposition to their very own members who don’t comply with strict guidelines,” mentioned Kristi Ok. Johnson, assistant director answerable for the FBI’s Los Angeles Area Workplace. “This indictment is the newest in our persevering with joint efforts to focus on gangs and drug networks that gasoline the violence in our communities.”