Legal News

Gangs of CA may never die, but new suit says they won't diversify

By Richard Binder

Attorneys for the city of Los Angeles filed a suit yesterday seeking to seize homes, businesses and other assets of known members of Los Angeles' largest gang to cripple their criminal enterprises.  The attorneys are alleging that at least some members continue to oversee their criminal enterprises from inside prison.

The defendants are reputed members of the Los Angeles-based 18th Street gang, which the suit calls ?one of the largest and most violent criminal street gangs in the world? with an estimated 30,000-plus members in 15 states and five foreign countries. Two of the defendants, Ruben Castro and Frank Martinez, also are members of the notorious prison gang the Mexican Mafia, city officials said.

The suit alleges that 18th Street gang members are ?vertically integrated? with the Mexican Mafia and funnel criminal proceeds to jailed Mexican Mafia members through various means, including deposits into bank accounts that the men maintain at the prison.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on December 09, 2008 (boomark / email).