Azusa gang accused of targeting blacks, members to face federal charges

LOS ANGELES - A Latino gang conspired to rid Azusa of its black residents through intimidation, threats and violence dating back to the early 1990s to exert its influence and show its loyalty to the Mexican Mafia prison gang, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.

More than 50 people were charged as authorities made early morning raids targeting the Azusa 13 gang. Federal prosecutors said the gang engaged in a host of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to hate crimes that have hobbled Azusa.

"We hope that this federal case will signal the end of this racist behavior and will help vindicate all of the victims who have suffered over the years," U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. said.

Sixteen of the people named members of the Azusa gang accused of targeting blacks in the indictment were arrested Tuesday, while another 23 were already in custody, U.S. attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek said. Authorities were seeking another 12 suspects.

The crackdown is the latest effort by law enforcement to cripple Latino gangs that have targeted blacks in the Los Angeles area.

In 2009, more than 140 members and associates of the Varrio Hawaiian Gardens gang were charged in connection with waging a racist campaign against black people. Four years ago, authorities arrested dozens of members of South Los Angeles' Florencia 13 gang in connection with the killing of blacks because of the color of their skin.

Tuesday's charges mirrored a similar effort federal prosecutors took against The Avenues, a gang from the Highland Park area northeast of downtown Los Angeles, where four gang members were convicted in 2007 of hate crimes for killing a black man.

In Azusa, six people have been charged with civil rights violations for allegedly harassing, and in some cases attacking, African Americans to drive them out of the city or to prevent them from relocating there.

More than two-thirds of Azusa is Hispanic, while roughly 3 percent is black.

In one instance, prosecutors said Marty Michaels, known as "Casper," and another Azusa 13 member punched a black man in January 2000 while using a racial epithet. In April 2010, Manuel Jimenez yelled a racial slur at a black high school student returning home from a track meet, the indictment said. Jimenez and another man hit the student, chased him down the street and stole his items, prosecutors said.

Azusa 13 gang member, Ralph "Swifty" Flores was sentenced to death in 2008 after he was convicted of four murders. A judge imposed three death sentences for three murders between 2002 and 2004 as well as a sentence of life without parole for the racially motivated murder of black teen Christopher Lynch in 1999. Flores was 17 at the time of the murder and not eligible for the death penalty because he was a minor.

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They've been doing that since the early 1990s... like alot of sureno gangs have been doing since the 90s, where there aren't that many blacks. But just enough to fight with on a petty scale.

I feel like historically it's always been the Mexicans that try to ride the Blacks out of the hood. Has there ever been Black retaliation where Blacks just bust on random Mexicans? Also has it ever been the way around where it starts with the Blacks trying to get rid of Mexicans in their neighborhood?

nope

ieprince wrote:I feel like historically it's always been the Mexicans that try to ride the Blacks out of the hood. Has there ever been Black retaliation where Blacks just bust on random Mexicans? Also has it ever been the way around where it starts with the Blacks trying to get rid of Mexicans in their neighborhood?

YES. You DO have some black gangs that are all about warring with hispanic gangs...and you also have individuals who may have some resentment toward a Mexican American based on race...mostly because they or a family member have been victimized at one time or another by Mexican or more aptly "cholo" Alot of the gangs that target hispanic gangs are in Compton and parts of Los Angeles. IN the IE its not as bad...you have your separate incidents but for the most part its cool. And it should also be noted that in the late 70's early 80's when black gang banging turned up a notch...they victimized alot of Mexians (Blacks did) not on race just because ignorant niggaz are ignorant niggaz...and they robbed them and vandalized property that kind of thing. So its only a logical result the children of these victims grew up resenting us. Hispanic gangs have never won an all out war with blacks unless its an area where the black population is scarce. This is a fact. And I don't believe there has ever been a situation where blacks have tried to push hispanics out of a black hood...where not that hateful or hell bent on race. It seems to be a fabric of chicano gangs to be racists with only a few exceptional instances. Just the way it is. Thank God for Rap music...

I'm almost positive the cam holder says "this Azusa for your ass" @ 1:49
Anyone recognize the apts? I'm thinking mob Prius hood they have a block borderline Azusa no?

all u are cop outs