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.
Lennox 13 Gang Raid Nets 27 Arrests Following 18-month Probe
Graphic via TownMapUSA
27 people affiliated with the Lennox 13 gang have been arrested in an operation employing nearly 500 law enforcement personnel. A raid was conducted this morning as the culmination of an 18-month probe by a joint federal-state team, according to the Department of Justice. "Some of those taken into custody today face federal charges, others will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution on various offenses, and some are allegedly illegal immigrants who face criminal prosecution and deportation." The charges range from federal racketeering, federal weapons, state narcotics, probation violations, federal criminal charges of illegal re-entry after deportation, suspicion of being illegal aliens.
The Lennox 13 is a local gang with about 650 members, of which about 250 are known to be involved in criminal activity. The street gang was formed in the 1960s by Mexican-Americans in the Lennox area of L.A. The “13” stands for the letter M and was added to the gang’s name about 20 years ago when it became associated with the Mexican Mafia.
An 11-count indictment charges 15 defendants, and "alleges that drug sales comprised the bulk of the gang’s profits." Some of the gang's revenue was paid to the Mexican Mafia in the form of a tax that provided them with protection and helped them operate drug sales in their territory.
“Today’s joint operation has dealt a serious blow to a ruthless and dangerous street gang operating here in the Los Angeles area,” said Claude Arnold, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles.
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
