Skip to Content
News

83 Members of the ‘Mexican Mafia’ Charged for Drug Trafficking in L.A. County Jails

9:40 AM PDT on May 29, 2018

[dropcap size=big]A[/dropcap] federal grand jury has charged 83 members of the Mexican Mafia — also known as La Eme — for running a drug trafficking ring and ensuing violence from inside the Los Angeles County jails as a result of a massive operation three years in the making.

The members were charged in two federal racketeering indictments. One of the indictments describes how members of the Mexican Mafia were able to extort prisoners inside the L.A. County jail system and control the smuggling of drugs and narcotic sales, the United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California announced in a statement. Of the 83 charged, 32 defendants were taken into custody and 35 defendants are already in state prison.

The Mexican Mafia is a large prison gang with ties and influence among gangs throughout Southern California. In April, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Mexican Mafia instructed East L.A. gang members to execute a racially charged fire-bombing in the Ramona Gardens Housing Projects.

The indictments “detail the power structure of the Mexican Mafia and its violent exercise of authority over Latino street gangs in Southern California and inside the sprawling LACJ,” the statement said.

RELATED: Supreme Court Orders California to Release 30,000 Prisoners

The alleged criminal violations violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO.)

“These cases have delivered a major blow to the Mexican Mafia and leaders of many of the street gangs under the control of the organization,” United States Attorney Nick Hanna said. “By taking out the gang members who control the jails, and by disrupting their communications network, we undermined the Mexican Mafia’s ability to coordinate street gang activity.”

The operation was three years in the making and was a collaboration between the FBI, the LASD, the Pomona Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell praised the work of the LASD via Twitter.

“The FBI case agent told me the agency couldn’t have done this without you,” he tweeted.

#LASD It was an honor to hear all the great things our federal partners had to say about your determination and integrity to see this operation through to the indictments. The #FBI case agent told me the agency couldn’t have done this without you. https://t.co/5NKvkSwvHq

— Jim McDonnell (@LACoSheriff) May 24, 2018

Already a user?Log in

Thanks for reading!

Register to continue

Become a Member

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Spot Check! Caviar Cakes, Champurrado Pot de Creme, Tamal Ice Cream, and Free Elote From Becky G

You can also party with L.A.'s first Black women-owned dispensary, enjoy a Lebanese legend past midnight, and pair quesabirrias with funnel cakes.

September 29, 2023

The Seven Best Tacos Along Metro’s K Line, From Crenshaw to Inglewood

The K Line is Metro's newest light rail line that cruises through the heart of Black Los Angeles, from Nipsey Square to Leimert Park. The taco scene along this route is all about hustle, featuring some of the cities must under-the-radar community gems like a historic L.A. taquería with a killer red salsa, lightly crunchy "enchilada tacos," and so much more. Next stop: flavor.

September 29, 2023

Is Hollywood’s Walk of Fame The World’s Worst Tourist Attraction?

A local news station scanned Google, TikTok, and other online reviews to cherry-pick a handful that calls the Boulevard "grubby, slightly scary... dirty, unsafe" and "one of the worst tourist attractions on the planet." We weighed in on the subject.

September 28, 2023

The Eight Best Punk Bars and Venues in Los Angeles

This may be the last generation of beautifully grimy punk bars and venues in a city that is overdeveloping all of these counterculture community spaces into the post-gentrification abyss. Go and support by buying drinks at all these places to make sure they stick around for the next generation.

September 27, 2023
See all posts