Organized Crime

Outrage Review

El Chapo Guzman, World's Most Wanted Drug Lord, Just Had 2 Baby Girls Born in Los Angeles: Say Hello to my Little Twins

razon.com.mxHot mama: Emma Coronel.​They're not exactly anchor babies: Mom is an American citizen. Maybe they're more like AK babies, though, because dad is the most-wanted drug lord in the world, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. And his twin girls said hello to life on Aug. 15 at Antelope Valley H ... More >>

Keith Hasson, Most-Wanted Kingpin of $20 Million Drug Ring, Busted by U.S. Marshal in Woodland Hills

Blacky.​These larger-than-life crime bosses, man -- they sure love to play house among the L.A. gentry. Whitey Bulger, before last week's big FBI bust, chose to spend post-mafia life strolling Santa Monica's Promenade, scaring off nice old ladies in his sunny retirement community. Now the fed ... More >>

Is Whitey Bulger Southern California's Bank-Robbing 'Geezer Bandit?'

Sky NewsBulger vs. Geezer.​Is Whitey Bulger Southern California's famous "Geezer Bandit" bank robber? The notorious Boston mob boss portrayed by Jack Nicholson in The Departed did allegedly have $800,000 in cash stashed in his rent-controlled Santa Monica pad when the authorities finally trac ... More >>

James 'Whitey' Bulger, Boston Mob Boss From 'The Departed,' Arrested in Santa Monica at 81

James "Whitey" Bulger​Update: MSNBC reports that Bulger was living on the 1000 block of Third Street in Santa Monica -- a surprisingly public spot at the end of the Promenade. PHOTO of his unassuming apartment, after the jump. James J. Bulger, known within his Irish-American crime family as " ... More >>

Azusa 13 Gang Terrorized Blacks, Monopolized Drug Sales, Sent 'Taxes' to Mexican Mafia, Feds Allege

​The feds cracked down today on a San Gabriel Valley Latino gang they say has been on a war path against African Americans for 20 years. Sixteen people were arrested, 23 were already behind bars, seven were arrested on state drug allegations, and 12 others were on the loose as authorities act ... More >>

Enedina Arellano Felix: Meet Mexico's First Female Drug Lord (Hot)

Just call her La Narcomami​Mexico's Proceso magazine is calling Enedina Arellano Felix the world's first female drug lord today, based on information from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. While we're not buying that lofty title -- "Cocaine Cowboys" star Griselda Blanco was the godmother of b ... More >>

Feds Sweep Lennox 13 Gang Near LAX, Allege Drug Sales, Mexican Mafia Ties

Welcome to Los Angeles.​Orange County has Disneyland. San Diego has Seaworld. And L.A. has ... Drugland, conveniently located just east of LAX. This according to federal authorities, who on Wednesday swept the Lennox 13 gang, including some members named in an indictment that alleges the set ... More >>

Deputy Abel Escalante's Sorrowful Revenge

Carlos Velasquez can't recall the deputy's name. Now he faces murder charges

Cell Phones Flooding to Mexican Mafia Prisoners

Schwarzenegger vs. Legislature pissing match means no crackdown

Seized

Inside the brutal world of America's kidnapping capital

Washington Times Brings Gangs, Graffiti And Illegal Immigrants To Bell Salary Story

Ted SoquiI see brown people ... at a Bell City Council meeting.​The Bell salary scandal, in which a city manager was found to be taking home as much as $1.5 million in compensation, has inspired headlines from coast to coast. But none of the coverage has been as dark as that of the Washington ... More >>

East Los Angeles Hit Man Trained by Mexican Cartels

A cunning American boy grows up to execute his friends and family

Street Gang With Ties To Mexican Mafia Raided

​Federal and state authorities raided an Ontario street gang that allegedly has ties to the Mexican Mafia. Twenty-seven members of the Black Angels were arrested in the action Wednesday morning after a Los Angeles federal grand jury indicted 50 of the gang's members on suspicion of racketeerin ... More >>

Jerry Brown Announces Successful Prosecution Of Mexican Mafia Cell

​State Attorney General Jerry Brown on Thursday announced the last of a series of successful prosecutions against a Mexican Mafia cell that worked in Imperial and San Diego counties. Imperial County resident Patrick Ralph Ponce, 44, pleaded guilty this week to drug, weapon, kidnapping and ext ... More >>

Arrest Made In Corey Haim-Connected Prescription Drug Ring

​A suspect was arrested in connection with a prescription drug ring that was tied to the death of actor Corey Haim, a spokeswoman for state Attorney General Jerry Brown confirmed. The spokeswoman would not reveal the suspect's name or any other details about the pending case, however. Haim di ... More >>

Corey Haim's Death Tied To Illicit Prescription Drug Ring

​The death of actor Corey Haim this week was tied to an illegal prescription drug ring, California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced Friday afternoon. Brown's office stated an "illegal and massive prescription-drug ring" was linked to the death of Corey Haim" after an "unauthorized" pres ... More >>

Latino Gang Member Who Targeted Black Victims Gets Life

​A Latino gang member who a judge said "preyed on victims because they were black" received a sentence of life in federal prison (and then some) this week. Francisco Flores, 24, actually received a life sentence as well as a consecutive 10 years for racketeering that includes conspiring to com ... More >>

Feds Bust MySpace Gang With Ties To Mexican Mafia

​Federal agents cracked down members of a Latino Riverside gang that allegedly uses MySpace to communicate about gang business and rap videos to promote itself as it also trafficks methamphetamine and attacks random African-Americans. Six members of Riverside's Eastside Riva (ESR) gang were a ... More >>

Smuggling Cell Phones To Prisoners Perfectly Legal; Bill Would Change That

​One of organized crime's more potent weapons of late has been the mobile phone. If you've ever wondered how a prison-based organization like the Mexican Mafia can be so effective, or why even some prison officials have said prison gangs essentially run their lockups, the preponderance of smug ... More >>

LAPD Officials Backs Off Linking Synagogue Shooting To Organized Crime

Deputy Chief Michael Downing.​Los Angeles Police Deputy Chief backed away from comments published in an Israeli newspaper last week indicating that be believed the North Hollywood synagogue shooting Oct. 30 was "a stern warning linked to a criminal organization." Two men were wounded in the a ... More >>

Israeli Mob Crime On The Rise -- LAPD

Downing​Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing said this week that Israeli organized crime was on the rise in Los Angeles and he mentioned the Oct. 30 North Hollywood synagogue shooting as "a stern warning linked to a criminal organization." The LAPD's counter-terrorism ho ... More >>

L.A.'s Medical-Weed Wars

How the potheads outwitted Antonio Villaraigosa and the L.A. City Council

The Assassination of Deputy Abel Escalante

A young father had nothing to do with LAPD’s killing of Danny Leon. But he was slain for it

Gangs Lay Low, Rake in Dough

Along the Olympic corridor between Koreatown and downtown, it's been a quiet year for crime. This despite the proximity of two of the largest gangs in the United States, 18th Street and Mara Salvatrucha, which used to be at each others throats.Dennis RomeroLeeward Avenue in Koreatown is Mara Salvatr ... More >>

Ex-Mongol President Pleads Guilty

According to an Associated Press report, former Mongols motorcyle club president Ruben "Doc" Cavazos pleaded guilty in January to a single RICO Act count that could land him in prison for 20 years. The plea, disclosed in court papers filed June 29, will result in Cavazos being sentenced in February, ... More >>

LITTLE RASCALS GONE BAD

According to an Associated Press report, former Mongols motorcyle club president Ruben "Doc" Cavazos pleaded guilty in January to a single RICO Act count that could land him in prison for 20 years. The plea, disclosed in court papers filed June 29, will result in Cavazos being sentenced in February, ... More >>

Third Suspect Arrested in Deputy Slaying

The Los Angeles Police Department has arrested a third suspect in the shooting death of an L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy. A fourth man remains at large. "We will bring all those responsible for the murders to justice," said Police Chief William Bratton at a 1 p.m. press conference at Parker Center, ... More >>

Pelisek finalist at IRE against team of 14 journalists

Veteran L.A. Weekly reporter Christine Pelisek has been awarded the finalist prize by the globally prestigious Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. for that organization's highly coveted Tom Renner Award, which honors outstanding reported on organized crime or other criminal acts.Christine's am ... More >>

Alleged Avenues Gangsters Plead Not Guilty to Cop Killing

Two alleged Avenues gangsters pleaded not guilty in downtown Los Angeles today to capital murder charges stemming from the August 2 shooting of a 27-year-old Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputy as he was preparing to go to work at the Men's Central Jail. Juan Escalante was shot from behind about five ... More >>

Gang Ties that Bind: Drew Street Gangsters Linked to Cop Killing

The murder shocked the conscience of a crime-scarred community. The arrest of two suspects showed the far-reaching influence of a notorious street gang.But revelations that one of the two men accused of murdering a young deputy sheriff belonged to an extended family of criminals, presided over by a ... More >>

Shooting of Deputy Still Remains a Mystery

Los Angeles Police Department detectives still don’t have a clue as to why a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was gunned down outside his parent’s home in Cypress Park on August 2. Deputy Juan Abel Escalante, who was assigned to guard the county’s most dangerous inmates at Men's Central Ja ... More >>

Federal Indictment Targets Drew Street Crime Family

A multi-agency task force of 500 law enforcement officers swooped down on members of the Avenues gang on Drew Street early Wednesday morning. The crackdown netted 32 members or associates of the “Drew Street” clique of the Avenues. The operation, which began at 4 a.m., stemmed from a massive 15 ... More >>

Avenues Gang Indicted; Many Members Still-at-large

A multi-agency task force of 500 law enforcement officers swooped down on members of the avenues gang on Drew Street yesterday morning. The crackdown netted 32 members or associates of the “Drew Street” clique of the avenues. The operation, which began at 4 a.m., stemmed from a massive 157-page ... More >>

Major Law Enforcement Crack down Nets the Gangsters of Drew Street

A multi-agency task force of 500 law enforcement officers swooped down on members of the avenues gang on Drew Street early this morning. The crackdown netted 32 members or associates of the “Drew Street” clique of the avenues. The operation, which began at 4 a.m., stemmed from a massive 157-pa ... More >>

Pellicano Trial's Freaky Friday

Pellicano Defense Finishes Its First Week It’s a crime to lie to the FBI, so I won’t: The courtroom was bored to tears with Friday's appearance by its former special agent, Stanley Ornellas. A big man with a brutal face and soft voice, Ornellas was the bureau’s lead investigator into the case ... More >>

Broken Bridges

Did City Hall’s plan to fight gangs bankroll a gangster?

Did You Know?

Did City Hall’s plan to fight gangs bankroll a gangster?

Avenues of Death

How Highland Park�s Latino gang targets African-Americans

Who�ll Stop the Reign?

The big trial is over, netting several convictions -- read last year's story on the U.S. versus the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang

To Protect and to Spin

The ex�LAPD cop who became a 9/11 conspiracy king

Pet Shop Murder

It looked like a simple shooting, but the Pets R Us killing exposed an organized-crime network running credit-card and recycling fraud. And one of its leaders, Sarkis Antonyan, a.k.a. Little Al Capone, had two bullets in his head.

Baca's Debacle

Sheriff Lee Baca Relied Heavily on two Controversial Campaign Supporters to Set up His Asian Crime Task Force. Now Both Men Have Drawn FBI Scrutiny, and the New Sheriff's Reputation is on the Line

Crash and Burn

Tobacconists report rise in heists to match price hikes

L.A. Mob Does Vegas

Mickey Mouse Mafia still kicking