One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Gang Used Homeboy Industries As A Cover, Feds Say
Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit that works to help former gang members move on with their lives, was allegedly used by some of their clients to hide illegal activity associated with the Mexican mafia.An indictment released last Thursday said that the Mexican Mafia had united three rival Northeast Los Angeles gangs, the L.A. Times reports. The three gangs are known as Frogtown, the Rascals and Toonerville, and they control areas in Atwater Village, Glendale and Northeast L.A. Authorities say members of the new gang conglomerate likened itself to a "New World Order" or the United Nations, and that the gang worked to control the local drug trade and sometimes arranged for enemies to be killed or punished. Chief Assistant U.S. Atty. Robert Dugdale said that one gang leader who didn't want to go along with the proposed peace treaty was shot eight times before he agreed to go along with the plan.
Twenty-two people so far have been charged with racketeering, conspiring to kill rivals and extorting money from drug dealers. Authorities say that some of them were using Homeboy Industries to hide criminal activities. According to the indictment, one man, Santos "Slim" Zepeda, indicated that he used Homeboy Industries in 2013 as a place to meet a drug dealer who owed the gang 'taxes' on drug sales. Another man allegedly wrapped a .38-caliber gun in a Homeboy T-shirt and gave it to another gang member while on Homeboy property.
Carlos Canino with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in L.A. told the Times he hadn't seen rival gangs unite in such a manner "since the riots."
Homeboy Industries issued a statement following the arrests:
"As a gang rehabilitation center, we exist to support all those who want to turn away from criminal pasts and transform their lives. We understand that while we successfully help a majority of our clients, a small percentage attempt, but fail, to make that transformation. When people relapse we are truly heartbroken, but we remain committed to creating healthier and safer communities through our work. We are also saddened by the allegations that inappropriate activities may have taken place in the safe haven we have created. We will vigorously investigate these items and when contacted by law enforcement, we will fully cooperate with any inquiries."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
