Posted on 10/27/2006 9:46:30 AM PDT by calcowgirl
Nine members and associates of a notorious east San Fernando Valley street gang that terrorized residents for more than a decade were found guilty Thursday of federal drug and racketeering charges - legal tools more commonly used to fight organized crime.
In the first criminal trial brought against the Sun Valley-based Vineland Boys, who police say ran roughshod through parts of Burbank, North Hollywood and Palmdale, the jury deliberated seven days before reaching the verdicts that could land two of the defendants in prison for life.
"This is the first time in Southern California that the RICO (Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act has been used to dismantle the leadership of an entire street gang," U.S. Attorney Debra Yang said in a written statement. "As criminal organizations become more sophisticated and more international in scope, we will apply whatever methods are necessary to end their senseless acts of violence."
The trial lasted 1 1/2 months in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. A RICO conviction brings a sentence up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8.
Lead defendant Rafael "Sneaky" Yepiz, 35, of Reseda, whom prosecutors portrayed as one of the gang's leaders, was convicted of 21 charges, including RICO violations, drug trafficking and money laundering.
Yepiz appeared unmoved as he heard the verdict, while his supporters in the courtroom sighed with disbelief.
Six others - Manuel "Pony" Yepiz, 31, of Shadow Hills; Jesus "Yuck" Contreras, 33, of Sun Valley; Ernesto "Gordo" Mendez, 39, of Sylmar; Francisco "Noc" Zambrano, 27, of Mission Hills; Gilberto "Beto" Carrasco of Sun Valley; and Mariano "Durango" Meza, 34, of Sun Valley - also were convicted of RICO violations.
Zambrano also was convicted in the attempted murder of four people, including three U.S. Marines. Jose "Cheech" Mejia, 37, and Sergio "Jaws" Mejia, 39 - both from Bakersfield - were found guilty of narcotics conspiracy and other charges.
Rafael Yepiz and Sergio Mejia face mandatory life sentences. The others face a minimum of 10 to 20 years in prison.
"The (verdict) is an affirmation of the community's intolerance for gangs," Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said in a prepared statement.
"People can feel a lot more secure knowing that these dangerous criminals will not be terrorizing the community for a very long time," Burbank Police Chief Tom Hoefel said.
Still, Larry M. Bakman, Rafael Yepiz's attorney, said he was surprised by convictions on the RICO charges. Prosecutors "were not sufficient in proving" any "racketeering mechanism." He didn't dispute the drug charges but argued that the defendants never dealt on behalf of a larger criminal enterprise.
"They sold drugs to line their own pockets, not the pockets of anybody else," said Bakman.
Prosecutors said the Vineland Boys morphed from a Valley football team in the 1980s into a powerful gang that trafficked in cocaine, meth and marijuana in L.A., Hawaii, Indiana and the East Coast.
The gang also is linked to four homicides, including the 2003 slaying of Burbank police Officer Matthew Pavelka, according to the 78-count federal indictment.
Members even traded drugs for guns from Scott Schaffer, the boyfriend of former Burbank Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, who stepped down after police found cocaine, guns and ammunition at her home. She pleaded guilty to drug and child-endangerment charges; Schaffer, to drug and weapons charges.
The lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Young, said only the RICO statute could truly capture all the gang's activities, adding, "It's important we have these rules available for us to use."
The beginning of the end for the Vineland Boys came in a June 2005 pre-dawn raid, dubbed "Operation Silent Night," when authorities arrested 36 suspects and seized 39 guns and 12 pounds of drugs.
Yepiz and the others were among 49 defendants charged in the federal indictment. A total of 36 have been convicted, while some are fugitives.
Member David Garcia faces state charges in Pavelka's killing. In arguing the Yepiz case, prosecutors invoked the slain rookie officer by recounting the Nov. 15, 2003, shootout in a Ramada Inn parking lot.
Pavelka was shot 14 times, and Officer Gregory Campbell was shot twice and left partially paralyzed. Garcia's accomplice, Ramon Aranda, was killed.
Racketeering? I am sure the Vineland Boys don't even know what that word means..Just a bunch of 2 bit punks, glad to see they're off the streets..
I don't know about the author but I consider a large street gang to be organized crime.
If you read other articles, they very much fit the definition for organized crime and RICO seems quite fitting. They were hooked up with the Mexican Mafia and had quite the criminal enterprise.
Karl fyi
Schaffer's alleged involvement with the Vineland Boyz street gang led investigators to Murphy. Her arrest came the same day Schaffer, 51, was taken into federal custody after police found a Vineland Boyz gang member in possession of a handgun registered to Schaffer, which was not reported stolen.
Obviously NOT a Republican or this would have been on all the alphabet networks.
Long Live Officer Pavelka!
The victimhood mentality (and those who condone it) never ceases to amaze me.
BUMP back at ya in memory of Officer Pavelka!
"The (verdict) is an affirmation of the community's intolerance for gangs," Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said in a prepared statement.
Dumping their bodies off angeles crest highway for the coyotes and rats to eat would be a better affirmation of intorlerance of gangs in my opinion.
Rafael "Sneaky" Yepiz
Manuel "Pony" Yepiz
Jesus "Yuck" Contreras
Ernesto "Gordo" Mendez
Francisco "Noc" Zambrano
Gilberto "Beto" Carrasco
Mariano "Durango" Meza
Jose "Cheech" Mejia
Sergio "Jaws" Mejia
These are the second and third generation Hispanics we're constantly being told assimilate well and become good, productive citizens.
There is a gang mindset cultured in the barrio and only a purging will remove it.
Thanks for the Ping Uncle Ernie.
Question: Why do I still see Stacey sitting in meetings if she stepped down? Am I living in the twilight zone? Eh don't answer that...
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