Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: Gangs

Councilman Solorio addresses the high number of shootings this month in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Jose Solorio, Santa Ana 3 Comments

SANTA ANA CITY COUNCILMAN JOSE SOLORIO ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING HIGH NUMBER OF VIOLENT SHOOTINGS ON JANUARY 14-15, 2017

He Calls for Immediate Filling of Vacant Positions in Santa Ana Police Department, Development of Comprehensive Gang Prevention, Intervention & Suppression Strategy

Between the evening of January 14, 2017 and early morning of January 15, 2017, there were at least six reported shootings in Santa Ana. The Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) is reporting that the incidents resulted in six victims being wounded, and that the incidents are likely to be gang related. Continue reading→

Santa Ana man sentenced to 35 years to life after killing a friend over a $50 EBT card

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ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

 

Case # 13CF1954

Date: January 6, 2017

MAN SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR STABBING-MURDER OF ACQUAINTANCE AFTER CHASING AND STALKING HIM BEFORE FLEEING TO MEXICO

FULLERTON, Calif. – A man was sentenced today to 35 years to life in state prison for stabbing and murdering an acquaintance after chasing and stalking him before fleeing to Mexico. Mario Alberto Rodriguez, 27, Santa Ana, was found guilty by a jury on Aug. 2, 2016, of one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a knife. Rodriguez’s prior serious felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance for sale for the benefit of a criminal street gang in 2012 in Orange County was also found true.

On March 9, 2013, Rodriguez saw 26-year-old acquaintance Paul Anthony Garcia in front of the defendant’s family’s home in Santa Ana, and chased him on foot. Rodriguez and two associates followed Garcia for a few blocks until he entered the El Chile Picante restaurant on South Main Street. Continue reading→

A drive by shooter wounded a bicyclist today near Harvey Elementary School

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A man was seriously wounded when he was shot this morning while riding his bike along South Raitt Street, between Warner and Edinger, in Santa Ana, according to the O.C. Register.

The victim was shot at about 11:20 a.m., in broad daylight, as he was riding his bike on the eastbound sidewalk along South Raitt Street. The shooter pulled up in his car and shot the victim, according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

Santa Ana gangbanger in his late 50s arrested on suspicion of tagging two walls

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Graffiti, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Joe Fugencio Mirabel, a 57-year-old man, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of vandalizing two walls with gang graffiti, according to the O.C. Register.

SAPD police responded to the scene at about 10 a.m., after a man was spotted vandalizing a wall at the 1800 block of West First Street with gang graffiti, according to the SAPD. Continue reading→

Santa Ana gangbanger extradited from Mexico charged with multiple felonies for a 2011 murder

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, mexico, OCDA, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

GANG MEMBER EXTRADITED FROM MEXICO TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR 2011 MURDER OF 16-YEAR-OLD RIVAL IN SANTA ANA

*Co-defendant was arrested shortly after the murder and is awaiting trial

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A gang member who was extradited from Mexico last week is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for the 2011 murder of a 16-year-old rival in Santa Ana. Jesus Canales, 23, Santa Ana, was charged on July 25, 2011, with one felony count of special circumstances first degree murder committed for a criminal street gang purpose and one felony count of street terrorism, with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity and discharge of a firearm causing death. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of life in state prison. He is being held without bail and is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow, Dec. 13, 2016, in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.

Co-defendant Juan Manuel Galvan, 25, Santa Ana, was charged on July 25, 2011, with one felony count of murder and one felony count of street terrorism, with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity and vicarious discharge of a firearm causing death. He is being held without bail and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on Feb. 2, 2017, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-35, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. Continue reading→

Santa Ana gangbanger arrested for a 2011 homicide after fleeing to Mexico

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Santa Ana Police Department

Advisory: Detectives Arrest Man Wanted In 2011 Gang Related Homicide

Arrested Jesus Canales (23) – Charge Homicide

On Friday, July 22, 2011, a gang-related shooting occurred at the 300 block of East Washington Ave. The victim, a male juvenile, died as a result. During the investigation SAPD Homicide Detectives identified Jesus Canales, 18-years old at the time of the shooting, as one of the suspects. A warrant was issued for his arrest. Continue reading→

O.C. law enforcement will pack and give out thanksgiving turkey dinners to at-risk students on Nov. 16

Posted on by Posted in Charities, OCDA, Orange County, Santa Ana Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE

Date: November 10, 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Orange County District Attorney (OCDA) Tony Rackauckas, Orange County Probation Chief Steve Sentman, Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren, and over 250 law enforcement officers that partner with the OC GRIP Program in the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo, Orange, Santa Ana, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Stanton, and Tustin.

WHAT: Will be packing and awarding 850 Thanksgiving turkey dinners to at-risk students in the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership’s (OC GRIP) 7th Annual Thanksgiving Challenge. Students who improved their attendance, behavior and grades will receive a full Thanksgiving meal to feed a family of 10. This year, District Attorney Rackauckas, Chief Sentman and Pastor Warren will meet with volunteers from Ralph’s/Food 4 Less, Saddleback Church, OCDA, Community Service Programs, community leaders, and law enforcement partners throughout the county who work with students from each of the 50 GRIP schools to pack and distribute the meals. The media is invited to attend both events. Continue reading→

The SAPD cracked down on the Lopers Gang today, arresting nine of them

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Perhaps SAPD Chief Carlos Rojas finally is doing something about the gang problem in our city because Mayor Miguel Pulido now has a new City Council majority that just might fire Rojas? That just might be why the SAPD arrested nine members of the Lopers Gang today, on suspicion of weapons and drug offenses as part of a multi-agency crackdown, according to the O.C. Register.

The suspects included eight adults and a juvenile, who were all documented gang members, according to the SAPD.

The SAPD did not release the names of those arrested. They were booked into the Santa Ana City Jail. SAPD police investigators were able to recover a small amount of cocaine, methamphetamine and a rifle in the operation. Continue reading→

There were two more shootings in Santa Ana yesterday

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

At about 11:30 PM on Friday October 14th an adult male suspect exited his vehicle and shot at an occupied parked vehicle multiple times, at at 200 N. Lacy, in Santa Ana.

The vehicle was struck multiple times and the female and male passengers were not struck, according to SAPD Case Number 16-27216. Continue reading→

Gangbanger will spend 26 years to life in prison after stabbing and killing a family man

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Garden Grove Leave a comment

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 14WF0136

Date: October 7, 2016

MAN SENTENCED TO 26 YEARS TO LIFE PRISON FOR STABBING-MURDER OF STRANGER IN PARKING LOT

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man was sentenced to 26 years to life in state prison today for the stabbing-murder of a stranger in a parking lot. Daniel Perez Munoz, 23, Garden Grove, was found guilty by a jury on Aug. 16, 2016, of one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a knife.

On Jan. 11, 2014, Perez Munoz was drinking with friends in an apartment parking lot in Stanton. The defendant walked to the parking lot of a nearby business and approached a local family man, 52-year-old Phuong “Bob” Huynh, who was walking to a store. Perez Munoz confronted Huynh and stabbed the victim several times in the neck and chest. The victim took one or two steps before he collapsed and died at the scene from the stab wounds. Perez Munoz fled the scene. Continue reading→

A family’s car was hit by gunfire as they drove by Jerome Park last night

Posted on by Posted in Crime, David Benavides, Gangs, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Last night at about 10:30 p.m. a shooting occurred at 800 S. Townsend, in Santa Ana, according to SAPD Case Number 16-24254.

A family, including two adults and two children, was driving in the area when they heard a gunshot. Immediately afterwards, the front passenger window of their vehicle shattered. Fortunately no one was hit. Continue reading→

Sorry Roman Reyna, your gun-grabbing pal Gavin Newsom isn’t going to save your campaign

Posted on by Posted in 2016 Elections, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Guns, Phil Bacerra, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana Leave a comment

roman-reyna-and-gavin-newsom

Santa Ana City Councilman Roman Reyna must be in full panic mode by now. Reyna is running for reelection in November, but this time he is facing a 25-year member of law enforcement, Juan Villegas. Do you remember what happened to Reyna the last time he ran against someone in law enforcement?

Reyna got his butt kicked in 2004 by Claudia Alvarez, a Deputy O.C. District Attorney, when they faced off in that year’s Ward 5 election. Alvarez thoroughly trounced Reyna by over 16,000 votes, according to Smart Voter. Continue reading→

One teen was shot dead and another was wounded on Friday night on S. Birch St.

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Gangs, Michele Martinez, Santa Ana 3 Comments

Another violent week in Santa Ana ended with a dead teen and another wounded teen, when they were shot by suspected gangbangers at the 400 block of South Birch Street on Friday night, according to the O.C. Register.

SAPD police officers responded to the scene, at about 9:30 p.m, when they received a call about shots fired. They found evidence of a shooting but at the time did not find the victims. Continue reading→

Victim drove away after being shot by gang members near El Salvador Park

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At about 7:30 PM last night, an unidentified victim was in a vehicle with some friends in the area of 1100 North English when three gang member suspects approached them. Two of the suspects opened the doors to the car and attempted to take the victim’s personal property, according to the SAPD’s Case Number 16-24510.

After a brief struggle, one of the suspects shot the victim. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the lower extremity. As the victim drove away the suspect(s) continued shooting at the vehicle. The victim was admitted into a local hospital in serious condition. Continue reading→

17-year old beaten and stabbed by gang members at W. Edinger and S. Pacific

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At about midnight last night, a 17 year-old boy was walking in the area of 1500 West Edinger when he was approached by a carload of gang members. The suspects yelled out their gang affiliation and then began to assault him, according to SAPD Case Number 16-24451.

One of the suspects stabbed the victim multiple times. The victim went to a local hospital to receive emergency care and is expected to survive. Continue reading→