A federal indictment unsealed on Thursday, May 2 alleges 11 men participated in a series of criminal actions as members of the Salinas Acosta Plaza Norteños street gang.
Hundreds of officers assembled before dawn on Thursday morning in the Salinas Police Department preparing to serve 12 search warrants in Salinas and make eight arrests; another two people were arrested in Sacramento in connection to the case; and two were already in custody. (Twelve people were arrested in connection to the charges, but only 11 of them are named in the federal indictment on a single count of racketeering conspiracy.)
The indictment and remarks by law enforcement officials paint a portrait of a violent group willing to punish its own defectors by death.
"The allegations, if proven, describe a group that has a wanton disregard for life and an extreme penchant for violence," said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, announcing the indictment at the Salinas Police headquarters on May 2. "The complaint describes a gang that uses beatings as hazing for membership and death as a penalty for trying to leave."
The indictment ties together a series of crimes since 2008 and accuses the group of 11 of committing them all in order to advance the objectives and control of the Salinas Acosta Plaza gang.
"Members and associates armed themselves with firearms and agreed to 'hunt' and kill rival gang members," the charges allege.
The defendants are Gil Vasquez, aka Rhino; Rigoberto Ramirez Jr., aka Scooby; Sergio Hernandez Jr., aka Mono; Juan Alvarez, aka Yogi; Bertin Medrano, aka Dre; Jose Mexicano, aka Armani; Salvador Mexicano, aka Jumpshot; Raul Coronel Suarez, aka Ray; Gustavo Garcia, aka Tatis; Lorenzo Garcia Jr., aka Chito; and Jose Saldana, aka Chepe. They range in age from 19 to 38.
The men are accused of committing a series of crimes over years. Specifically, according to the indictment, those include murders, attempted murders, robberies and more.
They are accused of eight murders, six attempted murders and shooting at least three additional people, including a woman in her apartment in 2023 who was caught in the crossfire and was paralyzed.
The murders include three transient men near Carr Lake in 2020-21. The attempted murders include three additional transient men who were shot in 2020.
Individually, several of the men are alleged to have possessed and distributed fentanyl-laced pills, cocaine, methamphetamine and illegal cannabis.
The men in various groups or as individuals are accused of robbing a street vendor on Aug. 24, 2009; robbing a man's money and phone at knifepoint on July 8, 2014; robbing money from a man at gunpoint in Monterey on Aug. 20, 2015; assaulting a man and robbing his gold chain at a Salinas mall on April 27, 2021; robbing a juvenile's gold necklace at gunpoint in Salinas on March 19, 2023; and more.
The indictment also places the Salinas Acosta Plaza gang (SAP) in context. The group originated in Acosta Plaza in the 1990s, an offshoot of the Nuestra Familia prison gang, according to federal prosecutors, and there are typically 50 active members at any given time. Prosecutors say members are expected to pay dues, and those who sell controlled substances pay higher dues; those funds are used to pay for bail for fellow members who are arrested and to buy guns.
Officials speaking on Thursday afternoon had a clear message to other SAP members. "We have seen enough—bastante,” Ramsey said.
"These cowards terrorized the good, hardworking people of Salinas," Acting Salinas Police Chief John Murray added. "Some of the most vulnerable in our community, the unsheltered found themselves the victims of these predators.
"These criminals counted on getting away with their crimes—they counted wrong. This investigation and others are ongoing. We expect additional arrests and additional charges.”
On Jan. 18, law enforcement officers recovered 97 firearms from a SAP stash house in Salinas. The federal indictment was filed on April 18, and unsealed on May 2 in conjunction to the arrests.
(1) comment
This indictment against eleven members of the Salinas Acosta Plaza Norteños is a serious win for justice, but it also raises significant concerns. It's great to see such a coordinated effort by the police, striking at dawn to bring these criminals in. Their dedication is commendable. But why did it take so many years and so many heinous crimes to finally get here? This isn't just about eleven individuals; surely, they aren't the only troublemakers in Monterey County. This arrest is a good step, but it's just part of the bigger picture. We need to be quicker and more proactive in addressing such threats. Our community's safety is crucial, and we can't afford to sit back and wait for things to escalate before we act. Let's keep the pressure on and ensure our safety measures are as sharp and swift as today's justice proved it can be.
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