GANGS GETTING YOUNGER, BOLDER PROBE LEADS TO 40 ARRESTS, HALF KIDS.

Byline: GIDEON RUBIN Staff Writer

PALMDALE -- Antelope Valley gangs are becoming younger and more brazen.

That's the conclusion of a Palmdale law enforcement official who helped lead one of the biggest Antelope Valley gang-specific investigations of its kind.

Sheriff's Detective Key Budge said the three-month investigation culminated with the arrests of approximately 40 gang members, half of whom were juveniles.

Most of the arrests were on suspicion of residential burglaries, street robberies and car thefts.

Law enforcement officials seized tens of thousands of dollars of stolen property and cash from the gang that Budge said represents just a fraction of merchandise stolen over the period of the investigation.

Budge said nearly all the adults charged in the case have reached plea agreements, but many of the cases involving juveniles have not yet been resolved.

Most of the juveniles are repeat offenders trained by adults to commit the crimes because minors receive minimal penalties, Budge said.

Budge was startled by what he called the arrested juveniles' arrogance, noting that they believed their experience with the criminal-justice system boosted their gang stature.

``It's something that is new to us,'' Budge said. ``We're seeing more and more violent crimes being committed by (juveniles).''

Budge's troublesome conclusions follow a statewide trend. Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, D-Compton, soon will introduce legislation proposing pilot gang-prevention programs for children as young as 9 in Compton, Inglewood and Oakland schools, his spokeswoman said.

Budge wouldn't specify the ages of the juveniles involved in the gang because they are being prosecuted, but he said he's learned from the investigation that the gang recruits children in fifth grade.

Budge said several prominent members of the gang are from Los Angeles, but he thinks the gang functions independently of larger L.A. gangs.

``It doesn't appear that they take their marching orders from L.A. gangs,'' he said.

Budge said the sting involved a collaboration between Lancaster and Palmdale sheriff's stations. He said four detectives heading the investigation summoned approximately 200 sheriff's deputies for the Nov.2 sweep.

The gang was primarily involved in crime activity described as somewhat crude -- strong-armed retail and home-invasion burglaries, and street robberies using real weapons or simulated weapons -- on a larger scale than local law enforcement officials are accustomed to seeing.

The investigation's focus has since shifted to uncovering layers of the gang suspected of selling the stolen property. Budge said adult family members sold much of the merchandise to pawn shops and on the streets.

Budge expressed frustration with an overburdened juvenile-justice system and laws governing juvenile crime that he says have created a legal loophole gangs are exploiting.

``The laws that pertain to juveniles are outdated,'' Budge said. ``If there was a true penalty, I think that might be a true deterrent for these kids.''

gideon.rubin@daily news.com

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