Tag Archives: Operation Community Shield

MS-13 Gang Members Arrested by Operation Community Shield

February 7, 2013blogarrest, gang, gang activity, homicide, HSI, HSI National Gang Unity, ICE, Operation Community Shield, organized crime, transnational gang memberAlex Meyerovich

Two members of the Mara Salvatrucha aka MS-13 gang, Jose Rodas-Alvarado aka Mini, and Roni Arriola-Palma aka Maniaco, were arrested Monday, January 28, 2013, on charges of first- and second-degree attempted murder, kidnapping, first- and second-degree assault, theft, and reckless endangerment following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Prince George’s County Police Department and Prince George’s County Sheriff’s office.

According to the arrest warrant, on Jan. 14, 2011, Rodas-Alvarado and Arriola-Palma along with several other MS-13 gang members attacked and forced a male victim into a minivan before physically assaulting him while in the 5800 block of 10th Place in Hyattsville, Md. The suspects allegedly undressed and threw the male victim from the van, dragging him into a wooded area, where they began stabbing him with knives. All suspects subsequently fled the scene.

HSI special agents and Sheriff Deputies investigating the whereabouts of Rodas-Alvarado and Arriola-Palma were led to the 6000 block of 20th Avenue in Hyattsville, Md.where Rodas-Alvarado was taken into custody and transported to the County Police Criminal Investigations Division.

HSI special agents and Sheriff Deputies located Arriola-Prima in the 1800 block of L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.where he was taken into custody after a brief foot chase. He was transported to the District of Columbia Department of Corrections, where he will await extradition to Prince George’s County,Md.

This investigation was part of HSI’s Operation Community Shield initiative. Operation Community Shield partners with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to identify violent street gangs and develop intelligence on gang members and associates, gang criminal activities and international movements to arrest, prosecute, imprison and, or deport transnational gang members. HSI’s National Gang Unit’s goal is to deter, disrupt and dismantle gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities.

Since the inception of Operation Community Shield in February 2005, HSI special agents working in conjunction with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide have arrested more than 29,366 street gang members and associates linked to more than 2,300 different gangs. At least 40 percent of those arrested had a violent criminal history. More than 374 of those arrested were gang leaders and more than 4,163 were MS-13 gang members or associates. Through this initiative nationally, HSI has seized 4,137 firearms.

The case is being prosecuted by the Prince George’s County States Attorney Office.

ICE and HSI Recognized for Combating International Gang Activity

November 19, 2012blogattempted murder, gang, gang violence, HSI, ICE, international gang, international law enforcement, National Gang Threat Assessment Report, Operation Community Shield, racketeering, transnational criminal organizationAlex Meyerovich

Top-level officials from South San Francisco and Daly City met with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents the morning of Wednesday, November 14, 2012, to formally recognize them for their efforts to combat gang-related crime and violence in those communities.

The mayors and police chiefs of both cities presented HSI special agents with a proclamation commending their work on a long-term racketeering investigation that led to May’s federal indictment of 19 members of a South San Francisco street gang. Three HSI special agents were shot and wounded while seeking to arrest one of the gang members charged in that case. In addition to the original racketeering allegations, that defendant, Victor Flores, aka Little Creeper, of Petaluma, Calif., is now accused in a second superseding indictment of attempting to murder the three federal agents.

“The city of South San Francisco wishes to thank HSI for its assistance in the investigation and arrest of the 19 members of the criminal street gang who were responsible for many gang-related crimes, including a triple homicide in December 2010,” said South San Francisco Police Chief Michael Massoni. “HSI’s collaboration with the South San Francisco Police Department was instrumental in bringing this case to a successful conclusion. This investigation underscores what positive outcomes can happen when local law enforcement works in collaboration with our partners in the federal system.”

In July, South San Francisco representatives traveled to Southern California to personally thank members of HSI’s Los Angeles-based Special Response Team, including the three special agents who were wounded, for their assistance with the execution of the gang arrest warrants. HSI’s Special Response Teams are often called upon to serve high-risk warrants.

“Public recognition is always gratifying, but perhaps the greatest reward comes from knowing that our agents’ efforts have contributed to making these communities safer,” said Clark Settles, special agent in charge for HSI San Francisco. “Promoting public safety is at the core of HSI’s mission and, as this case makes clear, when we partner with local authorities to target transnational street gangs, we can achieve impressive results.”

This investigation into the South San Francisco street gang was part of HSI’s Operation Community Shield. Launched in 2005, Operation Community Shield is an international law enforcement initiative that brings to bear HSI’s expansive statutory and civil enforcement authorities to combat the growth and proliferation of transnational criminal street gangs, prison gangs and outlaw motorcycle gangs throughout the United States. With assistance from state, local, tribal and foreign law enforcement partners, the initiative helps HSI locate, investigate, prosecute, and where applicable, immediately remove gang members from our neighborhoods and ultimately from the United States.

MS-13 Gang Officially Designated a Transnational Criminal Organization by HSI

October 12, 2012blogcriminal activities, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, DHS, drug trafficking, gang, gang activity, homicide, HSI, human smuggling, human trafficking, ICE, immigration fraud, MS-13, murder, National Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime, Operation Barbed Wire, Operation Community Shield, racketeering, sex trafficking, street gang, TCO, transnational criminal organization, violenceAlex Meyerovich

On Thursday, October 11, 2012, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) designated the Latin American gang Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) as a transnational criminal organization (TCO). This group is being designated by Treasury pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581, which targets significant TCOs and their supporters. E.O. 13581 is a key part of the National Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime.

Using the authority provided in E.O. 13581, Treasury is targeting the economic power of MS-13 as a transnational criminal network – and those individuals and entities who work with them, enable them and support them – by freezing any assets those persons may have within U.S. jurisdiction. Any property or property interests in the U.S., or in the possession or control of U.S. persons in which these targets have an interest are blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

“This designation allows us to strike at the financial heart of MS-13 and is a powerful weapon in our fight to dismantle one of the most violent, transnational criminal organizations operating today,” said ICE Director John Morton. “History has proven that we can successfully take down organized crime groups when we combine sophisticated investigative techniques with tough street level enforcement, cutting off cash flows, contraband and collaborators to ensure they no longer find safe haven in our communities.”

“MS-13 is an extremely violent and dangerous gang responsible for a multitude of crimes that directly threaten the welfare and security of U.S. citizens, as well as countries throughout Central America,” Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen stated. “This action positions us to target the associates and financial networks supporting MS-13, and gives law enforcement an additional tool in its efforts to disrupt MS-13’s activities.”

MS-13 is being designated for its involvement in serious criminal activities, including drug trafficking, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and violence, racketeering, and immigration offenses. MS-13, consisting of at least 30,000 members and present in at least five countries, including the United States, is one of the most dangerous criminal gangs in the world today. MS-13 violently protects its illicit interests through murder, murder for hire, kidnapping, blackmail, extortion and assassination. MS-13’s creed is exemplified by one of its mottos, “mata, roba, viola, controla,” which translates in sum and substance to “kill, steal, rape, control.” In addition, MS-13 members have been responsible for numerous killings within the United States.

The HSI National Gang Unit will take the law enforcement lead, under this MS-13 enforcement effort dubbed, “Operation Barbed Wire.” The National Gang Unit removes gang members from our neighborhoods and, when appropriate, from the United States. In 2005, HSI initiated Operation Community Shield, an international law enforcement initiative to enhance U.S. public safety. Operation Community Shield partners with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to identify violent street gangs and develop intelligence on gang members and associates, gang criminal activities and international movements, to arrest, prosecute, imprison and/or deport transnational gang members as well as to suppress violence and prosecute criminal enterprises. The National Gang Unit’s goal is to deter, disrupt and dismantle gang operations by tracing and seizing cash, weapons and other assets derived from criminal activities. Since 2006, HSI has arrested 4,078 MS-13 gang members and, partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice, has successfully brought to indictment numerous MS-13 racketeering investigations in Washington, D.C., Virginia, New York, San Francisco, Houston, and Atlanta.

MS-13 is the first transnational criminal street gang designated as a TCO. Others TCOs include the The Brothers’ Circle, Camorra, Yakuza, and Los Zetas in the United States.

Project Nefarious Arrests Over 600 Gang Members

April 26, 2012blogarrests, gang activity, HSI, HSTO, ICE, National Gang Threat Assessment Report, Operation Community Shield, Project NefariousAlex Meyerovich

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced Wednesday, April 25, the arrests of 637 gang members and associates from 168 different gangs during Project Nefarious, an HSI-led operation executed in 150 U.S. cities and Honduras targeting transnational street gangs, prison gangs and outlaw motorcycle gangs involved with human smuggling and trafficking organizations (HSTOs).

Project Nefarious began in February 2012 with threat assessments, intelligence gathering, information sharing and target identification, which resulted in enforcement operations from April 9 to April 21. Through Project Nefarious, HSI special agents worked side-by-side with 148 federal, state, local and international law enforcement partners to apprehend individuals from 28 gangs affiliated with HSTOs. More than 40 percent of those gang members or associates arrested during this operation were affiliated with gangs tied to HSTOs.

“The goal of Project Nefarious was to identify, locate, arrest, prosecute and remove gang members and associates affiliated with human smuggling and trafficking organizations,” said HSI Executive Associate Director James Dinkins. “By ridding our streets of 637 gang members and associates, we are putting a dent in the violence these transnational criminal street gangs bring to our communities.”

The impetus for Project Nefarious was the U.S. Department of Justice, National Gang Intelligence Center, National Gang Threat Assessment 2011 report, which identified gangs who are progressively becoming involved with human smuggling and trafficking. The report classified numerous gangs as exceedingly dangerous due to their involvement with
cross-border criminal activity linked to human smuggling and trafficking.

Transnational criminal street gangs have significant numbers of foreign-national members and are frequently involved in human smuggling and trafficking; narcotics smuggling and distribution; identity theft and benefit fraud; money laundering and bulk cash smuggling; weapons smuggling and arms trafficking; cyber crimes; export violations and other crimes with a nexus to the border.

Of the 637 gang members or associates arrested;

479 were charged with criminal offenses,
158 were administrative arrests,
210 had violent criminal histories,
10 were wanted for murder, and
290 were foreign nationals.

In addition to the 637 arrests, 155 individuals were arrested for federal and state criminal violations, or administrative immigration violations. Of the 155, 117 were charged with criminal offenses, 58 had violent criminal histories, 38 were administrative arrests and 69 were foreign nationals. In addition to the arrests, during the operation special agents seized 52 firearms, 5,462.6 pounds of marijuana, 6.6 pounds of cocaine, $201,437 in U.S. currency and 14 vehicles.

Arrests during Project Nefarious included:

Carlos Alexander Melgar-Andrede, 22, an El Salvadoran national and associate of MS-13 was arrested inLos AngelesCounty on rape charges.
Richard Paul Gonzales, 40, a U.S. citizen and member of the Mexikanemi, also
known as the Mexican Mafia gang, was arrested in Bexar County, Texas, for indecent exposure to minors and adults. His criminal convictions include
aggravated robbery, evading arrest, dangerous conduct and numerous narcotics-related offenses. Pursuant to this arrest, HSI San Antonio seized two pistols and two shotguns.
Rodney Zaid Mejia, Pedro Melendez and Hector Villarreal, all 20-year-olds and Hector Abarca, 21, and Johnnie Sanchez, 31, all members or associates of MS-13, were arrested in Houston on federal charges of racketeering, drug trafficking and firearms violations.
Ernesto Zaragoza Solis, 29, a U.S. citizen and associate of Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos, was arrested in Laredo, Texas, for kidnapping and engaging in organized criminal activity. His criminal convictions include transporting of an undocumented alien for private financial gain.
David Solorio, 29, and Ronald Lopez, 46, both associates of the Mexican Mafia, and Sheldon McMorries, 34, all U.S. citizens, were arrested in Los Angeles County for conspiracy and murder. McMorries is a member of the street gang Varrio Carson 13, and an alleged hit man for the Mexican Mafia. His criminal convictions include taking a vehicle without consent, attempted grand theft auto and assault with a deadly weapon.
Jorge Luis Garcia, 30, a U.S. citizen and member of the Valluco gang was arrested in Starr County, Texas, for evading and resisting arrest and open state warrants for aggravated assault. He is also a registered sex offender and has criminal convictions for possession of marijuana and a controlled substance, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, theft, resisting arrest, evading arrest and burglary.

Those arrested came from 33 countries in Central and South America, Europe, Asia,
Africa and the Caribbean. Of the total number arrested, 720 were males and 72 were females.

This enforcement operation is part of HSI’s Operation Community Shield global anti-gang initiative, and is administered by HSI’s National Gang Unit (NGU). Operation Community Shield partners with existing international, federal, state and local anti-gang efforts to identify violent street gangs, and develop intelligence on gang members and associates, criminal gang activities and international movements to arrest, prosecute, imprison and deport transnational gang members. NGU’s mission is to leverage its anti-gang initiative
“Operation Community Shield” to enhance U.S. public safety by developing strategic domestic and foreign law enforcement partnerships, and utilizing those partnerships along with unique legal authorities to target gangs, suppress their violence and prosecute their criminal enterprises.

Since the inception of Operation Community Shield in 2005, HSI special agents working
in conjunction with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide have arrested more than 25,629 street gang members and associates. Almost 40 percent of those arrested had a violent criminal history. Of those arrested, 313 were gang leaders and 3,910 were MS-13 gang members or associates. Through this initiative nationally, HSI has seized 3,024 firearms. To date, of those arrested, 13,405 have been charged criminally, and 12,224 have been charged with immigration violations.

Federal agencies involved in Project Nefarious included the FBI, the Drug Enforcement
Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Prisons and U.S. attorneys’ offices around the country.