by TImothy Rutt
A joint agency task force made 15 arrests around the San Gabriel Valley this morning, including an Altadena man, as part of a crackdown on narcotics trafficking by gang members.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office, eight of those arrested face federal narcotics trafficking charges, while the rest face state charges. The release said that the investigation initially focused on drug sales by members and associates of the Pasadena Denver Lane Bloods.
The coordinated arrests started early this morning, with an Altadenablog reader calling at about 7 AM to say that there were several law enforcement vehicles in place at the corner of Woodbury Road and El Sereno, which was the site of a raid last year.
According to the press release, "The 15 arrests this morning culminate an 18-month investigation during which dozens of other defendants were arrested on various narcotics and weapons offenses. During the investigation, authorities seized eight firearms, approximately $40,000 in cash, five kilograms of cocaine and approximately 2½ kilograms of crack cocaine.
"The federal part of the investigation led to two indictments and one criminal complaint that name a total of nine defendants, one of whom is a fugitive. Most of the defendants face potential life sentences if they are convicted."
According to the U.S. Attorney's office, "the investigation that led to today’s arrests was conducted under the aegis of the San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of agents and officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pasadena Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (Altadena gang detectives and the Community Oriented Policing Services Bureau), the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration."
The Burbank and Monterey Park police also played a supporting role, the release said.
According to the release:
One grand jury indictment unsealed this morning charges seven defendants. They are:
• Jesse Vargas, 34, of El Monte;
• Jesus Campos, 43, of La Puente;
• Monte Russell, also known as “Godfather,” 35, of Pomona and Pasadena;
• Cuong Nguyen, also known as “David Thai,” 32, of Mid-City Los Angeles, who authorities are continuing to search for;
• Dayna Guyton, 29, of Pasadena;
• Myoshi Smith, 23, of Bellflower; and
• Lyonel Washington, also known as “Dough,” 33, of Altadena.
Among the specific charges in the indictment are allegations that Vargas on just one day possessed approximately three pounds of cocaine. The other two defendants charged in federal court are:
• Keno Monteze Norris, 33, of Pasadena, who is charged in an indictment with distributing crack cocaine; and
• John Eugene Brown, 48, of Pasadena, who is charged in a criminal complaint with possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine.
The eight defendants arrested today on federal charges were expected to make their initial court appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Attorney.
UPDATE: Altadena Sheriff Capt. John Benedict sent out this message:
At 6:00 am this morning the Altadena Sheriffs Station, Pasadena Police Department, Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI conducted an operation that resulted in the arrest of nineteen suspects who will face federal narcotics trafficking charges and various other state charges. Several of those arrested are members of the Pasadena Denver Lane Blood Gang. Most of the defendants will face potential life sentences if they are convicted. Today's arrests demonstrate that law enforcement is committed to working together with its state and local law enforcement partners to protect our community from the menace of the illegal narcotics trade and criminal activity in our community. It is my hope that this event will subside the recent assaults that have plagued our community over the last two months.
