The gang injunction filed by Santa Barbara’s city attorney and the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office was made public Wednesday and listed the names of the 30 alleged Eastside and Westside gang members included in the complaint.
It alleges the rival street gangs have “created a hazardous public nuisance” in the proposed safety zones. City attorney Steve Wiley and District Attorney Joyce Dudley are listed as plaintiffs in the complaint, which also asks the court to recognize the Eastside and Westside groups as criminal street gangs.
Click here to view a copy of the complaint. Click here for more information on the decision to file a gang injunction within the city limits.
If granted by a judge, the injunction as written would restrict the activities of the named people within the mapped-out safety zones. The long list includes no associating with other gang members; no carrying weapons; no selling, transporting or using (without a prescription) controlled substances; no drinking or possessing open containers of alcohol in public; no acting as a lookout; no obstructing traffic; no graffiti; no trespassing; not permitted on school grounds; not permitted in city parks; no collecting “rents” or “taxes” in the safety zones through extortion; no contacting minors going to and from school; and no using gang gestures or wearing gang attire in public.
The complaint alleges the defendants “threaten, intimidate, carry weapons, confront, assault and rob individuals … vandalize public and private property, trespass, loiter, sell and use narcotics, unlawfully drink alcohol on sidewalks, streets, parking lots, apartment complexes and public parks.”
Claiming turf — and defending it through graffiti and violence — has resulted in neighborhoods “plagued by assaults, robberies and violence,” according to the document. Parks especially are hang-out spots and meeting places, but anyone traveling through the proposed safety zones is challenged with the “classic gang question, ‘Where you from?’ Such a question is frequently a precursor to an assault or other form of harassment.”
The complaint says criminal prosecutions have not stopped these actions, nor will anything less than equitable relief in the form of a gang injunction.
“Traditional law enforcement methods have not eliminated the immediate and continual risk to the lives and property of the people who live, work, visit and pass through the proposed safety zones,” the complaint reads.
Santa Barbara Police Chief Cam Sanchez said Tuesday that the 30 people named in the injunction are the ones who have caused the most grief for the city in terms of crime and recruitment.
Five of the 30 were arrested in the 2008 Operation Gator Roll, a collaborative law-enforcement effort that netted 59 arrests on both state and federal charges.
Defendants can opt out if they declare to no longer be a gang member, and they must pay for their own defense. To prove it, they must show, for three years before their declaration, that they haven’t been associated with or been a member of the gang, haven’t been arrested for a felony or misdemeanor, and haven’t obtained new gang-related tattoos. They also must show they’ve been consistently employed for one year. If they are provided with the opt-out order and violate any of the provisions afterward, they can be re-served with the injunction documents.
Eastside
The Eastside gang members identified in the complaint have all been contacted by law enforcement while associating with Eastside gang members, have gang tattoos and have made admissions to Santa Barbara police/a> regarding membership, the complaint alleges.
» Francisco Anaya, or “Kartoon,” has been arrested in gang-related crimes.
» Michael Cardenas, or “Psycho Mike,” displayed gang hand signals to police officers on July 21, 2009, and has been arrested for gang-related crimes. He has pleaded not guilty with three other men to the October 2010 murder of George Ied, 37, who was beaten to death as he walked home to Punta Gorda Street from work on Milpas Street. Cardenas has 13 misdemeanors on his record since 2005.
» Bryan Carreno, or “Sneak E,” has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire. The complaint states he was stabbed in a gang fight between the Eastside and Westside on Oct. 13, 2006.
» Edgar Cordova, or “Playboy,” was contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire, was observed displaying gang hand signs in photographs and was arrested for gang-related crimes including assault with a deadly weapon — a firearm. He was arrested in Operation Gator Roll.
» Augustine Cruz, or “Muneco” and “Felon,” is a registered gang member pursuant to the Penal Code and has been arrested for gang-related crimes including gang graffiti, vandalism and petty theft.
» Pedro Garcia, or “Oso,” has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire and was observed displaying gang hand signs with other gang members in photographs.
» Raymond Macias, or “Boxer,” has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire.
» Ruben Mize, or “Chico” and “Gangster Loco,” was convicted this month of murdering 16-year-old Lorenzo Carachure. He has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire, and has been arrested on gang-related charges, including battery, assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and murder.
» Patricia Moreno, or “Muneca,” has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire, was observed displaying gang hand signs in photographs and was arrested for gang-related crimes including graffiti, vandalism and robbery. She was arrested in Operation Gator Roll.
» Miguel Parra, or “Tripps,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes and convicted of possession of cocaine and a deadly weapon — a throwing star. He is one of four men accused of murdering Ied and was arrested on federal charges during Operation Gator Roll.
» Omar Ramos, or “Sleepy,” has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire and has been arrested for gang-related crimes. He was arrested during Operation Gator Roll.
» Ivan Romero, or “Lil Nightmare,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes.
» Humberto Trujillo, or “Smurf,” has been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Eastside gang attire, has been observed displaying gang hand signs in photographs and was arrested for gang-related crimes.
Westside
Westside gang members identified in the complaint have all been contacted by law enforcement while associating with Westside gang members and have made admissions to police regarding membership. Most of the following also have been contacted by law enforcement while in possession of gang writings or wearing Westside gang attire, and have been observed displaying gang hand signs in photographs, according to the complaint.
» Jonathon Alonzo, or “Lonely One,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including gang graffiti, assault with a deadly weapon and murder. He was charged in the 2009 murder of Baldemar Leal, 22, who was stabbed to death on lower De la Vina Street.
» Cesar Baradas, or “Crazy Boy,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including fighting with rival gang members and assault with a deadly weapon.
» Christian Botello, or “Tweety,” has gang tattoos and has been arrested for gang-related crimes including assault with a deadly weapon. He was arrested in Operation Gator Roll.
» Enrique Cortez, or “Risky” or “Shadow,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes such as gang graffiti and grand theft auto.
» Daniel Flores, or “Whispers,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including assault with a deadly weapon and gang graffiti.
» Ruben Flores, or “Lil Woody,” has gang tattoos.
» Marical Garcia, or “Topo,” has gang tattoos and has been arrested for gang-related crimes including battery, robbery and witness intimidation.
» Miguel Garcia, or “Stimpy,” has gang tattoos.
» Denise Lazaro Gonzalez, or “Sleepy Loca,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including gang graffiti.
» Stacy Ibarra, or “Grumpy,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including robbery and gang graffiti.
» Edwin Miguel, or “Dopes,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including possession of a dangerous weapon.
» Miguel Molina, or “Mr. Sparky,” has gang tattoos and has been arrested for gang-related crimes including assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon.
» Emmanuel Padron, or “Moreno,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes including fighting with rival gang members, and battery causing great bodily injury.
» Marcos Ramos, or “Sneaky,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes.
» Michael Rodriguez, or “Yogi,” has been arrested for gang-related crimes.
» Roy Sarabia, or “Smokey,” is a registered gang member pursuant to the Penal Code and has been arrested on charges of terrorist threats and witness intimidation in the Leal stabbing case.
» Raul Torres, or “Mini,” has gang tattoos and has been arrested for gang-related crimes including assault with a deadly weapon and gang graffiti.
No juveniles are included in the list.
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews.