Forty-one members of various street gangs have been charged in indictments or criminal complaints unsealed today in five judicial districts, the Department of Justice announced today. Most of the gangs have Latino members involved. The indictment also alleges that MS-13 gang members were send money to gang leaders in El Salvador.
The federal indictments and complaints unsealed today charge members and associates of a variety of street gangs, including:
• Seven members of the Click Clack gang in Kansas City, Missouri;
• 12 Colonias Chiques gang members in Los Angeles;
• Two members and associates of the Sureno 13 and San Chucos gangs in Las Vegas;
• Seven MS-13 members in Washington;
• 13 Tri-City Bomber members and associates in the McAllen, Texas, area.
The charges in these separate cases relate to a wide range of alleged illegal activity, including racketeering conspiracy, murder, murder conspiracy, narcotics trafficking, robbery, and gun trafficking. The defendants will make initial court appearances in the respective districts in which they are charged. Teams of federal, state, and local law enforcement officers have today arrested 29 of these defendants, with additional arrests expected.
In addition to today’s enforcement actions, during the past eight days federal prosecutors have charged 53 members of the 38th Street gang in Los Angeles, and three members of the Crips, Bloods, and Gangster Disciples in Memphis with federal crimes, as well as added charges in a superseding indictment against 12 Blood gang members in New Haven, Conn. In Boston, a Fayston/Brunswick gang member and an MS-13 member each were charged with firearms offenses, and a Mozart Street gang member was arrested on a firearms charge. In addition, an MS-13 member was arrested in Alexandria, Va., on federal charges.
In total, 112 defendants have been arrested, charged, pleaded guilty, or been sentenced in February 2011 as part of the department’s ongoing efforts to combat gangs and gang-related violence in the United States.
