Anti-gang activist accused of gang crimes
An anti-gang activist known nationally in the United States was arrested Wednesday on federal racketeering and conspiracy charges stemming from his alleged involvement in one of the most violent street gangs in the U.S., Scott Glover and Richard Winton report.
Alex Sanchez, executive director of Homies Unidos, a gang-intervention nonprofit with offices in Los Angeles and El Salvador, was among two dozen alleged members or associates of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as MS-13, charged in a 66-page indictment that was unsealed Wednesday.
The defendants, with monikers such as Creeper, Grinch, Pain and Tears, were involved in a variety of crimes, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion and drug trafficking, over a 15-year period, the indictment alleges. Among the alleged crimes was a plot to kill a Los Angeles Police Department detective who specialized in investigating the gang, authorities said. Gang members had gone as far as choosing a handgun with which to kill Det. Frank Flores, authorities allege, but police thwarted the plot.
Click here to see more recent posts on the Mara Salvatrucha gang.
-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City
Photo: Alex Sanchez is executive director of Homies Unidos, a gang-intervention nonprofit group. Credit: Los Angeles Times.
Is Alex Sanchez still a member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang? My understanding is that once a member, always a member and those who try to leave the Mara Salvatrucha do not live very long because they are killed by the gang.
Posted by: Rhoda Ryder | July 04, 2009 at 08:50 AM
Lynn, I'm not sure where you live and what you actually know about Homies Unidos, but it seems like you are really out of touch with the reality of this organization. For those of us who live in the inner city of Los Angeles, we know that Alex Sanchez and Homies Unidos have worked tirelessly to prevent youth from joining gangs, thus preventing a proliferation of gang violence. I'm always amazed at how much hate people with anti-immigration sentiments have in their hearts and how short-sighted their "solutions" are when it comes to coming up with real, positive alternatives.
Posted by: Jonathan | June 28, 2009 at 02:32 PM
Homies United are we so stupid to believe this obvious front? I cannot believe we gave a illegal immigrant and criminal political asylum because of his gang affiliation (who allowed this). Illegal immigrants that choose to break more laws after they enter our country illegally should not be given political asylum or amnesty they need to be deported period with no chance of every becoming a U.S. citizen.
Posted by: Lynn | June 25, 2009 at 04:28 PM