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12 Latin Kings gang members indicted in Indiana

Jan 25, 2017 | WLSAM Staff

Sean Michael Pena (left) and Timothy Maurice Diaz | U.S. Attorney’s office

(HAMMOND, Ind.) Twelve members of the Latin Kings gang are now facing narcotics distribution and racketeering charges and have been added to an existing federal indictment in northwest Indiana.

All 12 individuals were charged with a conspiracy to distribute narcotics and added to a Latin King indictment pending in Indiana that had previously charged 26 members of the gang, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office. Eleven of the individuals were also charged with conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.

Eight people were arrested Tuesday, including:

Lazaro Francisco Delgado-Gonzalez Jr., or “Pollo Loco,” 27, of Highland;
Marquis Sean Medellin, or “Kilo,” 30, of Hammond;
David Ulmenstine, or “Silent,” 25, of Harvey, Illinois;
Jorge Esqueda, or “Silent,” 22, of East Chicago;
Juan Alcaraz, or “Silent,” 28, of Hammond;
Miguel Angel Marines, or “Egg,” of East Chicago;
Rafael Cancel, 35 of Hammond; and
Kash Lee Kelly, 28, of Hammond.

Kash Lee Kelly was not charged with conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity in the fresh indictment, prosecutors said.

Two other people charged in the indictment were already in custody in Indiana on unrelated charges, including 35-year-old Jeremiah Shane Farmer, of Hammond, Indiana, and 21-year-old Eduardo Ivel, or “Little Smiley” of Hammond, Indiana.

Authorities are still looking for two suspects, prosecutors said. Timothy Maurice Diaz, or “Slice,” 34, of the 6300 block of New Hampshire Avenue in Hammond, and Sean Michael Pena, or “Big Body,” 34, of the 1100 block of State Street in Hammond, are both considered fugitives from justice.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Diaz or Pena is asked to contact the FBI at (317) 595-4000 or the ATF at (800) ATF-GUNS.

“As I have repeatedly stated, if you are a member of or associate with these criminal organizations we are coming after you. It may take us months or it may take longer but we are coming after you,” U.S. Attorney Robert Capp said in the statement.

State, federal authorities arrest 19 Latin Kings in Joliet

Feb 25, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

Aaron M. Bowers | Will County state’s attorney’s office

(JOLIET) State and federal authorities arrested 19 Latin Kings gang members Wednesday in southwest suburban Joliet, including a man accused of a 2010 murder.

In a multi-jurisdictional investigation, the U.S. attorney’s office, the Will County state’s attorney’s office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Joliet police and the Metropolitan Area Narcotics Squad arrested and filed charges against 19 gang members, according to a statement from the Will County state’s attorney’s office.

The sweep allowed Joliet police to charge 25-year-old Aaron M. Bowers of Joliet with first-degree murder for the 2010 shooting death of Nichole Rodriguez, the state’s attorney’s office said. She was shot twice while sitting in her car on Feb. 23, 2010, while her 8-year-old daughter was sitting in the backseat.

Bowers’ bond was set for $2.5 million, and he faces six more counts of weapons violations, the state’s attorney’s office said.

The following people were also charged with state weapons and narcotics violations:

Jordan Rent, 25, of Joliet, was charged with eight weapons violations;
Salvador De Los Angeles, 33, of Joliet, was charged with one narcotics violation;
David De Los Angeles, 29, of Joliet, was charged with one narcotics violation;
Miguel Antonino, 24, of Joliet, was charged with three weapons violations;
Miguel Holloway-Valadez, 21, of Joliet, was charged with one weapons violation;
Kimberly Ledwell, 31, of Joliet, was charged with one narcotics violations;
Samuel Williams, 27, of Joliet, was charged with two narcotics violations and five weapons violations;
Mario Quintero, 36, of Joliet, was charged with three narcotics violations and one weapons violations;
Richard Groth, 24, of Glendale Heights, was charged with two narcotics violations;
Salvador Lopez, 26, of Joliet, was charged with seven weapons violations;
Gabriel Travis, 26, of Lockport, was charged with one narcotics violation;
Juan Martinez, 37, of Joliet, was charged with one narcotics violation;
and Abiel Razo, 30, of Plainfield, was charged with one narcotics violation.

Five other gang members — 31-year-old Clemente Lopez, 30-year-old Carlos Lopez, 56-year-old Ralph Garcia, 32-year-old Collin Coon and 39-year-old Gabriel Rosas — were charged with federal weapons and narcotics violations, the state’s attorney’s office said.

“The Latin Kings are a very organized gang with an extensive history of violence and drug dealing within our community,” Joliet Police Chief Brian Benton said in the statement. “This joint operation will have a lasting impact on the gang’s organizational hierarchy and overall effectiveness and will undoubtedly improve the safety and quality of life in the City of Joliet.”