Sheriff Jim McDonnell
LOS ANGELES – Years of bloodshed by gang members and non-gang citizens in the Vermont Corridor prompted the formation of a multi-agency gang task force in the summer of 2015.
The alliance of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Major Narcotics Division and Hardcore Gang Division was forged to provide resources, prevent additional violence, and capture suspects.
LASD Deputy Lillian Peck announced, “Over the culmination of more than 14 months of diligent investigation, the suspects involved in the murders and violent assaults were identified; so far, 38 arrests and 29 prosecutions were made.”
Suspects were arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department and the United States Marshals Service, and were charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators uncovered an ongoing, several-year-long gang war between members of three criminal street gangs. Two allied gangs had waged an active gang war against at least six of the third gang’s factions.
“It is a priority,” said District Attorney Jackie Lacey, “to aggressively prosecute violent gang members who bring drugs and guns into our communities and threaten public safety.”
“I’m extremely proud of the successes achieved through this collaboration of efforts between our agencies,” said Sheriff Jim McDonnell, “…which is seen not only in statistics, but in the resurgence of health in the community.”
To prevent additional violence and other criminal acts, Chief Inspector Bert Tapia, Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force United States Marshals Service, advised, ” Offenders such as these continue to plague our communities and the U.S. Marshals Service, working with our state and local partners, will continue to make them a high priority in our enforcement efforts.”
