3 IN VINELAND BOYS GANG RECEIVE TERMS.Byline: EUGENE TONG Staff Writer Three more members of the Vineland Boys -- including its ``enforcer'' -- were sentenced Tuesday in the federal racketeering Traditionally, obtaining or extorting money illegally or carrying on illegal business activities, usually by Organized Crime . A pattern of illegal activity carried out as part of an enterprise that is owned or controlled by those who are engaged in the illegal activity. case against the notorious street gang linked to drug dealing and the shooting death of a Burbank police officer. During the sentencing in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , Francisco Zambrano, 27, of Mission Hills received 40 years in federal prison after Judge John F. Walter called him ``one of the most violent individuals who has ever appeared in this court.'' Zambrano was convicted of the attempted murder In the criminal law, attempted murder is committed when the defendant does an act that is more than merely preparatory to the commission of the crime of murder and, at the time of these acts, the person has a specific intention to kill. of Bryan Guerra, a Marine whom the defendant felt acted disrespectfully to him at a party, among other crimes. ``He markets himself as the enforcer for the Vineland Boys gang,'' the judge said. ``He is a cold-blooded killer.'' Sergio Mejia, 39, of Bakersfield, whose conviction in the case was a third strike, received a life term in federal prison. Jose Mejia, 37, of Bakersfield received 27 years. In total, seven of the nine defendants have been sentenced since their convictions in October on violations of the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, drug trafficking and other charges. Two others, including lead defendant Rafael Yepiz, 35, of Reseda, are set to be sentenced Feb. 26. Yepiz faces a mandatory life sentence after his conviction on RICO RICO n. . and other charges. On Monday, U.S. District Judge John F. Walter sentenced Jesus Contreras and Mariano Meza to 25 years, and Manuel Yepiz to 20 years in federal prison. The nine were among 49 defendants named in the federal indictment against alleged members and associates of the Sun Valley-based gang authorities said terrorized parts of Burbank, North Hollywood and Palmdale for more than a decade. Prosecutors said the Vineland Boys trafficked in cocaine, meth meth n. Methamphetamine hydrochloride. and marijuana in L.A., Hawaii, Indiana and the East Coast. The group also is linked to four homicides, including the slaying of rookie Burbank police Officer Matthew Pavelka, who was killed in a shootout Shootout Venture capital jargon. Refers to two or more venture capital firms fighting for the startup. with alleged Vineland Boys member David Garcia David Garcia (b. ? - died August 28, 2007) was a broadcast journalist for ABC News. Gracia had the distinction of becoming one of the first Hispanic news correspondents for a major American television network in the early 1970s. , who is awaiting trial on murder charges. City News Service contributed to this report. eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com (818) 546-3304 |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion