Federal and local law enforcement agencies executed a series of raids on Wednesday, targeting a gang in the San Gabriel Valley. This operation is a part of an ongoing investigation that originated when a member of the gang killed two police officers from El Monte in 2022.
The incident took place on June 14, 2022, at the Siesta Inn, where officers Joseph Santana and Michael Paredes responded to a report of a stabbing. They successfully rescued a woman who was held captive by Justin Flores, but unfortunately, Flores shot and killed the officers before taking his own life.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ten members and associates of the gang were indicted on federal charges related to the officers’ deaths. The indictment also includes allegations of other crimes committed by the gang, such as the murder of a woman who was shot while providing information to law enforcement.
Out of the ten defendants named in the indictment, two were arrested on Wednesday morning, while four were already in custody for unrelated cases. The remaining four defendants are still at large. Additionally, several other individuals were arrested during the raids on unrelated charges.
“Today, the El Monte Police Department, the FBI, and our partner agencies are sending a clear message to every American: We will relentlessly pursue justice when heinous crimes are committed and our communities are harmed,” said El Monte Police Chief Jake Fisher.
The raids were carried out by the El Monte Police Department, FBI, sheriff’s department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The main indictment announced on Wednesday includes charges under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act. Additionally, the indictments include firearms and narcotics charges against gang members, who are believed to be connected to the Mexican Mafia.
The charges also involve attempted murder of a rival gang member, the death of a woman during a failed attempt to kill an informant, and the operation of an illegal gambling and narcotics hub known as a “casita.”
The lead defendant in the case is Chase “Sicko” Carrillo, who is allegedly a “shot-caller” for the gang. Carrillo is accused of being involved in the shooting of a rival gang member in January 2022. He and another gang member later attempted to kill a man who had acted as their getaway driver but had also provided information to law enforcement.
On March 5, 2022, Carrillo fired at a vehicle in which the informant was riding but accidentally killed the female driver instead.
If convicted, Carrillo could face life in prison or even the death penalty.
“A highly violent gang responsible for the murders of two brave police officers and others has now faced the full force of law enforcement,” stated U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada. “Today’s federal arrests put an end to the gang’s reign of terror. The indictments we announce today should assure the community that we are committed to their protection and will utilize all available resources to combat violent crime. Southern California must be a safe place for everyone to live and raise their families.”
The 2022 killings of Officers Santana and Paredes have led to lawsuits filed by their families against the county. The lawsuits allege mishandling of an earlier criminal case involving Flores, suggesting that he should have been incarcerated at the time of the incident.
According to the lawsuits, Flores, who had a prior felony conviction, was placed on probation in 2021 instead of receiving a prison sentence. This decision was allegedly due to a directive from District Attorney George Gascón, which prevented the filing of a strike allegation against Flores under California’s “three strikes” law.
If the law had been followed, Flores would have been sentenced to prison. However, after being placed on probation, Flores only met with his probation officer once instead of the required monthly check-ins. The Probation Department failed to initiate proper proceedings, which would have resulted in a probation revocation, despite their own policies.
In the days leading up to the shootings, there were several red flags. The probation officer learned that Flores was in illegal possession of a gun and had assaulted a woman, yet this information was not reported to law enforcement. The probation officer initiated a probation revocation the day before the shootings, but Flores was not taken into custody.
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