L.A. Now Live: Charges dropped against anti-gang activist

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Times staff writer Richard Winton will join L.A. Now Live at 9 a.m. to talk about the dismissal by a federal judge of charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder against well-known anti-gang activist Alex Sanchez.

The dismissal came Wednesday at the request of federal prosecutors, who acknowledged the original indictment contained ‘errors.’ But Judge Dale S. Fischer made the decision to dismiss the charges against Sanchez without prejudice, a move that would allow prosecutors to refile charges.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Garth Hire said prosecutors will review the evidence and make a decision by March on whether to refile.

Federal authorities alleged in the original 2009 grand jury indictment that Sanchez — who they claim went by the street name ‘Rebelde,’ or ‘Rebel’ —- helped leaders of the gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, plot the 2006 killing of a man in El Salvador and other crimes.