Police Crackdown on 'South Los Angeles Street Gang'

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Four people were arrested and a gang injunction sought today in connection with a two-year probe of a South Los Angeles street gang that allegedly sold crack cocaine in the area.

The four alleged members and associates of the Denver Lane Bloods are among nine defendants already in custody who were named in federal criminal indictments filed in Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The five indictments all allege sales of crack cocaine and specifically charge the defendants with distributing cocaine base -- crack cocaine. Three of the indictments allege conspiracies to distribute the drug.

In addition, the City Attorney's Office has filed a civil enforcement action to curb the gang's activity at a South Los Angeles apartment complex.

The requested injunction would impose court-ordered conditions against the owners of a two-story, 28-unit apartment building in the 800 block of West Imperial Highway, a known location of criminal activity by members of the Denver Lane Bloods, city prosecutors said.

“The key to sustaining the historically low crime levels in Los Angeles has been our office's proactive approach to target nuisance properties where serious crimes occur,'' said City Attorney Carmen Trutanich.

“The City Attorney's Office will continue to partner closely with the LAPD and federal agencies in order to take the fight to where gangs operate and not allow them any safe haven to terrorize our communities.''

The filing by the City Attorney's Safe Neighborhoods and Anti-Gang Division comes in conjunction with the joint crackdown by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Since 2007, there have been 22 arrests or other criminal and nuisance incidents at the Imperial Highway property involving drug sales, armed robberies, gang graffiti vandalism, gun possession, and beatings of residents or visitors to the apartment, the city attorney said.

Most recently, law enforcement officers conducted six drug buys at the property between June and last month, purchasing crack from multiple Denver Lanes gang members and associates at and around the apartment complex, Trutanich said.

The take-down included the execution of arrest warrants, as well as parole and probation violation searches by local authorities.

The defendants whose federal charges were unsealed today are:

   -- Damone Giles, 34, of Long Beach, who is a fugitive;

   -- Darrell Sanford, 29, of Hawthorne, who was arrested today;

   -- Reginald Sanford, 35, of Compton, who is Darrell Sanford's brother and who will be summoned to appear in federal court later this month;

   -- Rodney Longmire, 29, of Lynwood, who was arrested today;

   -- Quincy Giles, 30, of Los Angeles, who is Damone Giles' brother and

who was already in local custody;

   -- James Madison, 40, of Inglewood, who is a fugitive;

   -- Marcus Washington, 40, of Los Angeles, who was arrested today;

   -- Jermaine McClelland, 36, of Los Angeles, who was arrested today; and

   -- Luvvaughn Lovings McCoy, 35, of Los Angeles, who was already in local

custody.

If convicted, each defendant would face a sentence of five to 40 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

“Gang crime and narcotics distribution represent a serious threat to public safety,'' said U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte Jr.

“Today's operation sends a powerful message that gang activities and drug crimes have serious consequences,'' he said.

“Combating gang activity contributes to the well-being and safety of neighborhoods where residents should be able to live their lives free of the scourge of illegal drugs.''

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