Multiple people arrested after FBI, LAPD executed search warrants in Los Angeles
Multiple people facing federal and state charges were arrested after the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department executed search warrants in the LA Harbor area on Tuesday morning.
The thirteen individuals who were taken into custody are alleged members of the "Rancho San Pedro" (RSP) gang, the FBI said. Officials claim that RSP is responsible for "various criminal activities and acts of violence in and around the Los Angeles Harbor area."
The FBI said the arrests were made after a multi-year investigation involving the LAPD and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
"I'm proud of the years of hard work that went into this case by investigators at the federal and local level to target the upper echelon of this extremely violent gang," said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. "Today's actions will cause a significant setback to Racho San Pedro and their Mexican Mafia overlords, and lead to safer streets for San Pedro residents."
Eight of the 14 individuals taken into custody are being charged in a federal criminal complaint for their alleged roles in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy (RICO) and for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances. The complaint also charges another individual with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
Five others are also facing state charges by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
The FBI said nine federal and eight state search warrants were executed at various locations in the San Pedro area on Tuesday.
"Our Harbor Division investigators, working closely with the FBI and HSI, methodically built a case to expose those directing this criminal enterprise," said LAPD Chief of Police Jim McDonnell. "This operation delivers a powerful message — we will use every tool available to protect our communities and bring violent offenders to justice."
According to the complaint, some of the individuals are accused of "issuing rules and orders regarding, among other things, the collection of taxes, the distribution of controlled substances, the transfer of firearms, and decisions regarding who held positions of authority within RSP out on the streets."
Others are accused of committing or conspiring to commit acts of violence, including robbery and drug trafficking.
"This investigation and today's operation is just another example of how effective partnerships in policing make the communities that we serve safer," said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge, Eddy Wang. "HSI and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are committed to targeting the most violent gangs in the Southland."
If convicted of the charges in the criminal complaint, most of the federal defendants could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison, the FBI said.
