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In a clear indication of the value of inter-agency cooperation in the enforcement of the law, the November 14th indictments of 23 individuals described by U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada as “members and associates of the Mara Salvatrucha-13 transnational street gang” came as the result of the work of the FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs, L.A. City Police Department personnel, and Ventura County Sheriff’s Department detectives.
Among those potentially facing a “sentence of life in federal prison” is 36-year-old Oxnard resident Pavel Hurtado, reportedly known on the street as “Temper.” According to Estrada, Hurtado’s roll in MS-13 was as “shot-caller” who supervised the gang’s illicit trafficking activities and communicated directly with members of the Mexican Mafia while they were incarcerated for the purposes of directing the criminal enterprise.
Hurtado was taken into custody on the morning of November 14th pursuant to the service of search warrants which led to the discovery of “multiple pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine” as well as “nine firearms and $94,000 in cash.” He was arrested and transported to Los Angeles County Jail, where he remains in custody on a no-bail hold.
