Eight alleged gang members, including two in Gilroy, were
arrested in Santa Clara County as part of a multi-agency operation
led by federal authorities.
Eight alleged gang members, including two in Gilroy, were arrested in Santa Clara County as part of a multi-agency operation led by federal authorities.
Some of those arrested had “serious criminal histories,” and some are foreign nationals now facing deportation proceedings following the arrests Thursday, according to a spokesperson with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Also participating in the six-hour raid Thursday were the Morgan Hill and Gilroy police departments, the FBI, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the California Dept. of Justice Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, and the San Francisco Regional Office of the California Dept. of Justice Bureau of Investigations and Intelligence.
The arrests were part of the ICE National Gang Unit’s ongoing “Operation Community Shield,” a nationwide law enforcement program to crack down on street gangs in which foreign nationals are heavily involved. The ongoing program that started in 2005 resulted in 17 arrests in Morgan Hill, Gilroy, San Jose and San Martin, in a similar raid in early June.
“(Thursday’s) operation again shows what we can accomplish by pooling our resources, leads and expertise,” said Morgan Hill Police Chief Bruce Cumming. “As a result of our joint efforts, we’ve succeeded in taking several dangerous criminals off of the street and that will have a positive impact on violent crime in our community.”
None of those arrested Thursday were from Morgan Hill, but Sgt. Jerry Neumayer said the department participated by attempting to contact a number of suspects in the city, with “no luck.”
The suspects were arrested in San Jose, Gilroy, San Martin, and Hollister, according to a statement from ICE.
One of those arrested in Gilroy was Jonathon Arroya, 20, on suspicion of violating parole. Arroya was the only U.S. citizen arrested in the raid.
Added Gilroy Police Chief Denise Turner, “The Gilroy Police Department appreciates the help it has received from our federal and local law enforcement partners. These operations will continue to ensure the safety of our community.”
The other seven suspected gang members, whose names were not released based on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s privacy policy, have criminal histories. Some have prior convictions for weapons violations, domestic violence, vehicle theft and assault, the statement said.
“Street gangs pose a growing public safety threat to communities throughout this area,” said Mark Wollman, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in San Francisco. “The violence and crime associated with these gangs has reached intolerable levels. ICE is working with its law enforcement partners here, and across the country, to attack and dismantle these criminal organizations.”
One of those arrested Thursday is a 38-year-old Mexican national who has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and narcotics charges. As of Thursday, he will now be charged with re-entering the country after a previous deportation. That charge carries a punishment of up to 20 years in prison, according to ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice.
Another suspect is charged with state parole violations, Kice said.
The remaining suspects are alleged foreign national gang members and gang associates, and were arrested on administrative immigration violations. They are held in ICE custody, and will be scheduled for deportation hearings before an immigration judge, said the ICE statement.
Kice explained that ICE cannot provide the names of those arrested on administrative immigration violations due to the DHS’ “very stringent privacy policy.” Such charges, she said, are not the same as regular criminal charges.
Since February 2005, Operation Community Shield has resulted in the arrests of more than 13,500 gang members and associates, linked to more than 900 street gangs across the country.
“Transnational street gangs have significant numbers of foreign-born members and are frequently involved in human and contraband smuggling, immigration violations and other crimes with a connection to the border,” the ICE statement said.
