New Santa Ana | Category Archives: Gangs

SAPD seeking public help in tracking down the killers of Edgar Antonio Ojeda

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Crime Scene

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Homicide Detectives request Media & Public’s assistance with information of gang related murder

Location: 1400 S. Center
Victim: Edgar Antonio Ojeda (24)

On 09/07/14, at approximately 8:42 pm, officers were dispatched to the area of Center and Edinger Streets reference reports of shots fired in the area. Upon arrival, officers located a male Hispanic lying on sidewalk of 1400 South Center Street. He was later identified as Edgar Antonio Ojeda (24), resident of the City of Santa Ana. He had multiple gun shot wounds to his body and was pronounced deceased at the scene by Orange County Fire Authority Medics. Continue reading→

Female Asian gang member convicted of dragging a woman to death

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Garden Grove, OCDA, Vietnamese, Westminster 1 Comment

Lynn Ai Quach

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release

Case# 10WF0524

September 5, 2014

GANG ASSOCIATE CONVICTED OF MURDERING WOMAN BY DRAGGING HER WITH CAR

*Co-defendant in this case was previously convicted and sentenced

SANTA ANA – A female associate of an Asian criminal street gang was convicted yesterday of murdering a woman by dragging her several blocks on the outside of her car. Lynn Ai Quach, 24, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury yesterday Sept. 4, 2014, of one felony count of special circumstances murder during the commission of a robbery with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity and vicarious discharge of a firearm by a gang member. She faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole at her sentencing Oct. 24, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Co-defendant and Asian criminal street gang member, Christopher Dai-Ichi Yu, 22, Fountain Valley, was found guilty by a jury June 8, 2011, of one felony count each of murder, attempted murder, and street terrorism with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity, personal discharge of a firearm, and vicarious discharge of a firearm by a gang member. He was sentenced Nov. 18, 2011, to 74 years to life in state prison. Continue reading→

Man shot to death near Diamond Elementary School on Sunday

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 4 Comments

Diamond Elementary School

A man in his 20’s was found shot to death on a Santa Ana sidewalk late Sunday in what police are investigating as a gang-related attack, according to the OC Register.

The shooting is thought to have taken place at around 8:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of South Center Street, near Diamond Elementary School.

Santa Ana police investigators indicated that the shooting might be gang-related. They also believe more than one person attacked the man and then fled on foot. Continue reading→

SAPD seeks public’s help in tracking down a wanted gang banger

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Ernesto Antonio Guerra

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Robbery Detectives request Media & Public’s assistance with information as to the whereabouts of wanted Robbery suspect

Wanted Suspect: Guerra, Ernesto Antonio (19) Pomona

Synopsis: In early 2014, Guerra and three additional gang members from the City of Ontario were involved in a series of commercial robberies throughout the cities of Santa Ana, Anaheim and Garden Grove. Three of the four suspects are currently in custody and Guerra remains outstanding. Guerra is known to frequent the cities of Pomona, Ontario and Chino. Continue reading→

Judge approves Santa Ana’s second gang injunction

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Santa Ana Gangs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2014

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: JUDGE ENJOINS 13TH ORANGE COUNTY VIOLENT STREET GANG FROM TERRORIZING NEIGHBORHOOD IN SANTA ANA

*This is the second gang injunction in the City of Santa Ana

SANTA ANA – A violent Santa Ana criminal street gang have been preliminarily enjoined from terrorizing the community and acting as a public nuisance, marking the 13th injunction to be brought against Orange County gangs and the second in the City of Santa Ana. This injunction is in response to decades of violent crime by this gang and numerous residents pleading with law enforcement to eliminate the gang presence so that they no longer have to live in fear.

Deputy District Attorney Susan Eckermann prepared the injunction on behalf of the Gang Unit of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Continue reading→

Two gang members arrested for attempted murder by the SAPD

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Homicide and Gang Detectives arrest two Gang Members for Attempt Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder Arrested:

• Joel Aguilar (26), Santa Ana
• Alberto Santana (22) Santa Ana

Charges: Attempt Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder

Summary: On Wednesday, 7/23/14 at 1130 PM Officers responded to a shooting call in the 1900 block of West Myrtle Street and found a 19 year old male who had been shot four times in the upper torso. The Victim is an identified gang member who was uncooperative and told officers he was shot as he was walking westbound on the north sidewalk of 1900 block of West Myrtle Street. The victim was transported to UCI Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries.

SAPD Homicide detectives were assigned the case. Based on information obtained during their investigations detectives identified two suspects, both identified gang members believed to be involved in the 7/23/14 shooting. Detectives secured search warrants for two separate residences in the 800 block of South Townsend Street. Continue reading→

OCDA and SAPD to talk about their latest gang injunction today

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Carlos Rojas, Crime, Entertainment, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: (07/29/2014) Morning press conference on the OCDA’s lawsuit against a dangerous, criminal, turf-oriented street gang.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Santa Ana Police Department Chief Carlos Rojas will hold a press conference today immediately following the 9:30 a.m. hearing in Department C-14. Continue reading→

Does shooting of a 20-year old man mean the West Myrtle Street Gang is active again?

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Police are investigating a Tuesday night shooting that left a 20-year-old man injured on the sidewalk at the 1900 block of West Myrtle Street, as reported by the O.C. Register. The victim was shot multiple times in the upper torso.

Eleven members of the West Myrtle Street Gang, who are active in that area, convicted after a two-year investigation by Santa Ana police and federal agents, under Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges, in May of 2007, according to the Los Angeles Times. That was the first time that the RICO Act was used to bust local gang bangers. Continue reading→

Three Anaheim men charged facing gang-related felony charges

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Gangs, OCDA, Orange County Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Media Advisory

For Immediate Release: July 15, 2014

MEDIA ADVISORY: Case # 14NF2935

WHO: Jose Luis Segura, 20, Bryan Alexander Segura, 18, Eriberto Lua, 21, all from Anaheim

WHAT: Were each charged today with one felony count of carrying a loaded unregistered firearm in public, being an active gang member having a concealed firearm, causing a concealed firearm to be in vehicle, street terrorism, and a sentencing enhancement for criminal street gang activity. Jose Segura is also charged with one felony count of resisting and deterring an executive officer and Lua is also charged with a sentencing enhancement for crime-bail-crime. If convicted, Jose Segura and Bryan Segura each face a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison. Lua faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison. Continue reading→

The OCDA imposes a new Santa Ana gang injunction without public comment

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Photo by Santa Ana CopWatch

The Orange County District Attorney’s office (OCDA) filed for a preliminary gang injunction on Santa Ana’s Townsend Neighborhood earlier this month and Santa Ana police served notices to those named in it just last week, according to the OC Weekly.

However Santa Ana Police Department Police Chief Carlos Rojas had promised at a meeting of the Santa Ana City Council’s Public Safety Committee that he would discuss any proposed gang injunctions with the affected community before taking any action. He clearly lied.

The boundaries of the new gang injunction’s “safety zone” are: West First Street, South Raitt Street, West McFadden Avenue and South Sullivan Street. Continue reading→

Surprising drive by shooting, on Fairhaven, in front of Lake Park Mobile Homes

Posted on June 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

XXXXX XXXX, from the Young Square Neighborhood, took her dog out for a run on Saturday night, June 21, 2014, when she noticed that there was a male and female Hispanic couple in front of her. Little did XXXX know that the couple was soon going to come under fire in what turned out to be a horrifying drive-by shooting in normally tranquil north Santa Ana.

The man was walking his bicycle while his female companion walked next to him. XXXX was behind them, in front of the Lake Park Mobile Homes, closer to Linwood. They were about 50 feet ahead of her, heading toward Cambridge. All of a sudden a medium-sized dark car with several people in it approached from the other direction (westbound on Fairhaven). When the people in the car saw the couple they slowed down and made a U-Turn to pull up next to them and slowed way down. The guy with the bike raised his hand like he knew them and in response they immediately opened fire with what XXXX thought was a 9mm handgun. They shot off 5 rounds before their car pulled away. Continue reading→

Teen shot in broad daylight at 17th and King Street

Posted on June 21, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Witnesses told police that four males, who appeared to be in their teens, robbed and shot a 17-year old boy near 17th and King streets at about 11 a.m., said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department, according to the O.C. Register.

This is outrageous! That is a busy thoroughfare in north Santa Ana, right by the local U.S. Post Office and a convenience store. Alona Park, which includes a Pony Baseball League field, is just a few blocks north of this area. Continue reading→

Another man is killed in a gang shooting on South Halladay

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Homicide Detectives investigating shooting related death 300 Blk South Halladay

On 05-31-14, at approximately 2224 hours, an officer was in the area of 600 E. Pine and heard gunshots. The officer observed several males running in the area. One of the males sustained a gunshot wound to the upper torso and collapsed in front of him. OCFA Paramedics responded and pronounced the male deceased.

Homicide detectives were called to the scene. A preliminary investigation revealed that someone in a vehicle fired at the victim and his companions in the area of 300 S. Halladay. The suspect vehicle fled the area and has not been located. Continue reading→

Santa Ana resident Leonicio Banuelos killed in drive by shooting this morning

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 11 Comments

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Homicide Detectives investigating shooting death 200 block South Newhope

Details: On 5-18-14 at approximately 0235 a.m. officers responded to the 300 block of south Newhope regarding a shooting victim. Upon arrival, they located the victim a 22 year old male who had been shot in the upper torso. He has been identified as 22-year-old Leonicio Banuelos.

Orange County Fire Authority and paramedics responded to the scene and transported the victim to UCI Medical where he later died from his injuries. Continue reading→

Mother’s Day weekend started with a gang shooting and a DUI crash into a cop car

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Accidents, Alcohol, Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Brother of Santa Ana shooting victim

Santa Ana residents rang in Mother’s Day weekend with a gang-related shooting in front of a house and a DUI crash into an SAPD cop car.

Santa Ana police Cmdr. Jason Viramontes said the shooting happened in the 4700 block of West Oakfield Avenue about 11:45 a.m. after a man driving a gray, newer model pickup truck drove past three men standing in front of a home. After some looks were exchanged, the truck made a u-turn and pulled up in front of the house, he said. The driver asked the men where they were from and fired eight to nine shots with a handgun, hitting two of them several times in their lower bodies before speeding off, according to the O.C. Register. Continue reading→