On the morning of October 7th, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced a raid in the Los Angeles Harbor area, where multiple members of a violent criminal gang were arrested by federal and California law enforcement agencies.
The FBI revealed that the Rancho San Pedro gang was involved in various criminal activities and acts of violence in the harbor area, and this operation dealt a significant blow to the gang and the Mexican cartel controlling them, ultimately making the streets of San Pedro safer. San Pedro is located in the Los Angeles Harbor area, encompassing the bustling ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The success of these arrests was the result of a years-long joint investigation by the FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to the criminal complaints filed in the U.S. Federal District Court, out of the 14 defendants, 8 have been federally detained, while 5 others face state charges and have also been arrested.
Apart from the arrest operation, authorities executed 9 federal search warrants and 8 state-level search warrants at various locations in the San Pedro area.
Law enforcement agencies described the Rancho San Pedro gang as a multi-generational criminal organization with approximately 500 members who claim dominance over the city of San Pedro. The gang is controlled by the Mexican cartel in California prisons. Authorities reveal that members of the Rancho San Pedro gang are required to pay “taxes” to the Mexican cartel in exchange for protection.
The FBI noted that some defendants even issued orders on behalf of the Mexican cartel while incarcerated, involving activities such as tax collection, drug distribution, and weapons trafficking. Other defendants are implicated in committing or conspiring to commit violent acts, including drug dealing, robbery, extortion, possession of firearms and ammunition.
Furthermore, some defendants are accused of conspiring to commit violent crimes such as murder and assault; the drugs they sold include methamphetamine (crystal meth), fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and phencyclidine (PCP).
Defendants facing state charges will be prosecuted by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
If convicted, most defendants facing federal charges could potentially receive a life sentence.