New Santa Ana | Tag Archives: Gangs

The OC Superior Court rejects the proposed Townsend Street gang injunction

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

An Orange County Superior Court judge on Wednesday rejected an effort by District Attorney Tony Rackauckas to enforce a preliminary gang injunction in Santa Ana’s Townsend Street neighborhood against a group of individuals who are contesting their inclusion in the action, according to the Voice of OC.

Attorneys defending these individuals – a group of 14 adults and minors – praised Judge Franz E. Miller for ensuring that this group’s freedom of movement and liberties aren’t restricted until they have an opportunity to challenge the DA’s allegations of their active gang participation. Continue reading→

At-risk students earn over $25K in turkey dinners from the OCDA

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana, Youth Activities Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: November 18, 2014

AT-RISK STUDENTS EARN OVER $25,000 IN TURKEY DINNERS IN 5TH ANNUAL THANKSGIVING GANG PREVENTION INCENTIVE

SANTA ANA – Turkey dinners will be awarded tomorrow, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, to 855 at-risk students who succeeded in the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership’s (OC GRIP) 5th annual Thanksgiving challenge to improve student attendance, behavior, and grades.

The dinners will include a full Thanksgiving dinner, complete with side dishes, to feed a family of 10 and will be delivered to participating OC GRIP schools for the successful students and their families to pick up on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, starting at 4:00 p.m. Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas will be at Viejo Elementary in Mission Viejo to personally greet the students and their families. Media interested in attending may contact the OCDA Public Affairs Unit at (714) 347-8408. Continue reading→

SAPD seeks help in identifying suspect who shot and killed 15-year-old Edgar Campos

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: SAPD Homicide Detectives Request Public Assistance in Shooting Death of 15 Year Old Victim

Victim: Edgar Jovany Campos (15) Santa Ana

Details: On Friday, 11-07-2014, at approximately 6:40 PM, officers responded to the area of 400 North Laurel (located in Councilman Roman Reyna’s Ward 5) reference a male who had been shot. When officers arrived, they located the 15-year old victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper torso. OCFA Paramedics responded to the scene and transported the victim to UCI Medical Center for treatment.

SAPD Homicide Detectives responded to the scene to take over the investigation. Their preliminary investigation revealed the victim was walking in the area of 400 North Laurel when suspect(s) in a vehicle fired an unknown type firearm at the victim striking him once in the upper torso. The suspect vehicle then fled in an unknown direction after the shooting. There is currently no description for the vehicle or any suspect(s) at this time. Continue reading→

15-year-old boy shot in Reyna’s Ward 5 is now on life support

Posted on November 12, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Police say a 15-year-old boy was on life support at UCI Medical Center in Orange on Tuesday following a shooting in an alleyway last week, according to the O.C. Register.

The incident happened at about 6:40 p.m. Friday in the 400 block of North Laurel Street, which is in Santa Ana Councilman Roman Reyna’s Ward 5. Police say the shooting was gang related. Continue reading→

15-year-old boy shot in Roman Reyna’s Ward 5

Posted on November 9, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 7 Comments

Police say a 15-year-old boy was hospitalized in critical condition after he was shot in an alleyway Friday night at about 6:40 p.m. in the 400 block of North Laurel Street, according to Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department, according to the OC Register.

The boy was shot in City Councilman Roman Reyna’s Ward 5. Reyna lost badly in this year’s Santa Ana Mayoral election after a picture of him with two hard core gang bangers emerged on Facebook. The picture cost Reyna every single law enforcement endorsement and he was hammered with campaign mailers that touted his alleged gang connections. Continue reading→

Team Pulido is in a dead heat with the faltering Team Santa Ana

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Alex Padilla, Crime, David Benavides, Education, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Mike Gonzalez, Mirna Velasquez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 15 Comments

The election is almost upon us and the latest news is not good for the splintered Team Santa Ana. A major labor association has conducted secret polling that shows that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s team of City Council Candidates are in a dead heat with the splintered Team Santa Ana.

This is huge news as the Team Pulido slate, which includes Ward 2 candidate Mirna Velasquez, Ward 4 candidate Alex Padilla and Ward 6 candidate Miguel Gonzalez, has much less political experience than the longtime Council incumbents they are facing off against – Councilman David Benavides, Councilwoman Michele Martinez and Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero. Continue reading→

Anaheim Police arrest two suspects in Murder of 9-year old Ximena Meza

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Anaheim, Crime, Gangs Leave a comment

Anaheim Police Department

Raul Quezada, Chief of Police

PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2014

Subject: Anaheim Police Arrest Two Suspects in Murder of Ximena Meza – Press Conference Scheduled to Discuss the Investigation

Incident Overview

On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 around 7:15 P.M. Anaheim Police Officers were called to the 2300 block of W. Greenacre Ave. to investigate the shooting of 9 year-old Anaheim resident Ximena Meza. Meza had been to the front of her apartment complex playing with her sisters when gunshots rang out. Meza was struck once in her chest by an assailant’s bullet. She was rushed to a local hospital and succumbed to her injuries around 8:00 P.M. Continue reading→

Reyna blows off the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and loses their support

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Crime, Politics, Public Safety, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The OC Register and the Voice of OC continue to ignore the biggest story in the 2014 Santa Ana City Council races as the Santa Ana Police Officers Association (SAPOA) has asked Santa Ana Councilman Roman Reyna to explain why he was caught posing with hard core gang bangers in a picture that was circulated on Facebook.

Today SAPOA sent a second letter to Reyna, stating “In no way was this letter meant to be judge and jury of your active participation or association with known criminal enterprises however as supporters of your 2012 City Council campaign we felt strongly that a formal response was necessary.” Continue reading→

Benavides, Reyna and Martinez rejected by two more law enforcement associations

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Alex Padilla, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Mirna Velasquez, Orange County, Paul Walters, Politics, Public Safety, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Both the Anaheim Police Association and the Peace Officers Research Association of California have rejected Santa Ana Council Members David Benavides and Michele Martinez as well as their colleague Roman Reyna, who is in the midst of an ill-advised Mayoral campaign.

This comes on the heels of rejections of these candidates by the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs. The Santa Ana Police Officers Association (SAPOA) also rejected Reyna and Martinez.

Reyna really stepped in it when SAPOA called him out after a picture of Reyna with two hard core gang bangers was posted on Facebook. He has since become toxic to the entire Santa Ana City Council majority, which recently splintered when Benavides attacked Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero. Continue reading→

Orange County anti-gang curfew sweep results in arrest of 31 juveniles

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Gangs, OCDA, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: October 17, 2014

LAW ENFORCEMENT NET 31 JUVENILES IN 6TH ANNUAL OC GRIP CURFEW SWEEP

ORANGE COUNTY – Over 180 law enforcement officers from 19 agencies netted 31 juveniles in violation of city curfew laws last night in the 6th annual curfew sweeps by the Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP). OC GRIP aims to prevent juveniles from being victims of or participants in gang crimes by identifying at-risk youth, increasing school attendance, and decreasing gang activity.

Last night and early this morning, officers patrolled Orange County cities and unincorporated areas for children ages 17 and under out in public past curfew, in violation of city laws. Curfews in Orange County begin at 10:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m., depending on the city, and last until 5:00 a.m. the following day. Minors are prohibited from being in public during these hours unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian or are subject to circumstantial exceptions made for minors participating in employment, educational, or emergency activities. Continue reading→

Santa Ana police officers want to know why Reyna is hanging out with gang bangers

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Civic Affairs, Crime, Gangs, Politics, Public Safety, Santa Ana 103 Comments

Picture Courtesy of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association

October 14, 2014

COUNCILMAN ROMAN REYNA
SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL
20 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA
P.O. BOX 1988, M31
SANTA ANA, CA 92701

Dear Councilman Reyna,

I write on behalf of the Santa Ana Police Officers’ Association, its Board of Directors and Political Action Committee.

It has come to our attention that you, along with two other men, recently posed for a photograph that was posted on Facebook. We find it very disturbing that you posed with these men. Both are known to Orange county law enforcement as being affiliated with Santa Ana criminal enterprises. Furthermore, the individual believed to have posted the photograph identified you in his post as the “the new Mayor of Santana old homie from the hood…”

We are aware many friends can be called a “homie” and people do identify themselves as living in or being from the “hood”. These words alone should not produce a negative opinion of another person. However, when coupled with a photograph of known members of a Santa Ana criminal enterprise, and posted on an Internet social media website, we feel that far exceeds mere poor judgment. As a city policymaker, this photograph and comments presents the appearance and perception of your lack of ability to be a trustworthy and effective community leader. Continue reading→

Have Council Members Martinez and Reyna really left their pasts behind?

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in 2014 Elections, Crime, David Benavides, Gangs, Michele Martinez, Mirna Velasquez, Politics, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana 23 Comments

Roman Reyna and Michele Martinez may tell you that they have left their criminal pasts and gang lives behind but we don’t think this is true. Don’t be fooled for even a second by the self-proclaimed “reformed” drug dealer and tough guy.

Reyna allegedly verbally threatened Martinez’ top opponent, Mirna Velasquez, warning her that something may physically happen to her if she ran for the City Council against Martinez. Luckily, that did not deter Velasquez from running; she filed her papers in spite of these threats. Reyna even tried to talk Velasquez into moving and running against Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinjero, telling her that he is the weakest link on the city council and that she could easily beat him. Continue reading→

Emanuel Nunez shot to death near Cedar Street and Harwood Place

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Art Pedroza Posted in Crime, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Emanuel Nunez

A man initially thought to be in his 20s was killed Tuesday night during a shooting in a Santa Ana neighborhood, police said, according to the O.C. Register.

On 09/09/14, at approximately 6:55 pm, officers were dispatched to a call of a male victim shot in the area of Harwood Place and Cedar Street. Officers located the victim in the 900 block of east Harwood Place. The victim was later identified as Emanuel Nunez (33), resident of the City of Santa Ana. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by Orange County Fire Authority Medics, according to the SAPD.

The deceased was identified by police today as Emanuel Nunez, 33, of Santa Ana, according to the OC Weekly. Continue reading→

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→

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→