A Santa Maria woman was among more than 60 suspects recently arrested for assorted crimes allegedly linked to the Aryan Brotherhood and spanning the Central California and beyond.
Operation Lucky Charm, a multiagency effort, culminated with the arrests of individuals on federal and state charges in connection with criminal activities to the Aryan Brotherhood, or AB.
Federal, state and Fresno County law enforcement officers gathered in Fresno last week to announce the arrests after serving 39 federal and state search warrants at several locations, including in Santa Maria.
Investigators determined that robberies, murders, drug trafficking, fraud and firearms offenses occurring in Fresno, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Inyo counties plus other areas in California were tied to the AB prison gang.
Among those arrested and now facing federal charges was Santa Maria resident Regina Broomall, 38, also known as “Gina” or “G,” on suspicion of trafficking firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A confidential informant claimed that a state prison inmate, Robert Eversole, 47, at North Kern State Prison used Broomall as a secretary.
“(The confidential informant) stated that Broomall appeared to be responsible for all of the things Eversole needed done outside of the prison, including online banking, drug transportation and brokering firearms deals,” according to federal court documents.
Additionally, an Atascadero man, Cody Brown, has been accused of drug trafficking charges, but was among 13 suspects still being sought last week, Fresno County officials said.
Law enforcement officers say the AB gang formed in the California prison system more than 55 years ago by white inmates who wanted to gain power and authority in prison.
In the current case, the AB received assistance from gang members belonging to the Fresnecks, Peckerwoods and San Luis Sick Boys to traffic methamphetamine and heroin. Also known as the Sick Boys, the criminal street gang is active in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
Fresno County sheriff’s investigators said their investigation began in January. As leads developed, law enforcement officers served search warrants at several locations.
By mid-November, authorities had made 102 arrests, recovered 47 guns, seized $136,000 in cash, and confiscated nearly 90 pounds of methamphetamine and nearly six pounds of heroin, according to the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
That tally includes results from a large joint-agency operation that took place Thursday, when search warrants were served at two dozen homes and cellphone searches were conducted within several California state prisons.
State prison inmates believed to be orchestrating the illegal activity were moved into federal custody in connection with the allegations.
“We are committed to doing everything we can to stop these violent inmates from orchestrating their criminal activities from inside prison walls,” U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said.
As part of the investigation, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation staff conducted searches of 63 cells in 14 state prisons, confiscating cellphones and drugs.
In addition to the 15 people facing federal charges, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has charged more than 30 people in connection with the investigation for gang conspiracy, fraud and violent crimes, including arson, kidnapping, carjacking and assault with a firearm.
Other law enforcement agencies involved included the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, the Clovis Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.