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Federal brokers arrested 16 alleged members of Puente-13 — a violent San Gabriel Valley-based gang recognized for finishing up killings “greenlighted” by the Mexican Mafia, kidnapping enemies and trafficking vital quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, authorities stated.
The suspects had been arrested Wednesday on federal complaints alleging their involvement in a kidnapping, two shootings, unlawful firearms gross sales and the trafficking of narcotics, in accordance with the U.S. Division of Justice.
The complaints identify 20 alleged members and associates, three of whom stay at giant and one who was already in state custody. The at-large defendants are Larry Castillo, 42, a.ok.a. “Lil Dee,” of Victorville; Soo Kang, 31, a.ok.a. “Simple,” of Koreatown; and Bryan Gordian-Padilla, 24, a.ok.a. “Goon,” of West Covina.
Authorities stated others arrested Wednesday had aliases together with “Pollo,” “Ghost,” “Snowbella,” “Lil Speedy” and “Monkey.”
Through the investigation, authorities seized 71 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, prosecutors stated. They confiscated hundreds of tablets containing fentanyl and carfentanil — an artificial drug greater than 100 instances as potent as fentanyl by weight — and 10 kilos of methamphetamine.
Along with drug trafficking and unlawful firearm gross sales, the complaints hyperlink alleged Puente-13 members to 3 violent crimes — a December 2022 capturing of rival gangsters at a Covina residence; a July 2023 kidnapping of two victims, one among whom was overwhelmed with a metallic pole; and a Could 2025 capturing exterior a La Puente liquor retailer.
Puente-13 is a multigenerational Latino road gang that was based within the early Fifties in La Puente, in accordance with an affidavit filed with the complaints.
Over time, it has expanded its membership to about 600 associates and its territory to the communities of Hacienda Heights, Walnut, Business, Pomona and West Covina, the affidavit states. There are a minimum of 14 recognized subsets, or “cliques,” with names equivalent to Ballista Avenue, Blackwood Avenue, Northam Avenue and Dial Avenue, taken from areas the place leaders dwell.
The “13” within the gang’s identify denotes its affiliation with the Mexican Mafia, because the letter “M” is the thirteenth letter within the alphabet. The Mexican Mafia gang originated inside the jail system to manage and direct the actions of Southern California Latino road gangs, in accordance with the affidavit.
“The Mexican Mafia leaders issued instructions and orders, together with orders to kill rival gang members, which had been known as ‘green-lights,’” the affidavit states. “These orders had been to be executed by California road gang members, together with members of Puente-13, and had been understood by Puente-13 gang members as alternatives to realize elevated standing.”
Mexican Mafia leaders additionally collected a share of Puente-13 members’ income in drug and firearm gross sales as a type of tax, the affidavit states.
As a part of the investigation, confidential informants and undercover brokers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives bought medicine and firearms from alleged gang members, in accordance with the complaints.
The ATF led the investigation with assist from the Covina Police Division, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division, the West Covina Police Division, the California Freeway Patrol and the Baldwin Park Police Division.
If convicted as charged, 9 of the 20 defendants face most sentences of life in federal jail, prosecutors stated.
Wednesday’s arrests comply with the same bust in October when federal brokers arrested a number of alleged members of the Mexican Mafia-affiliated gang Rancho San Pedro within the Los Angles Harbor Space. In that case, 13 folks had been charged with being a part of a felony enterprise and with conspiring to own and distribute unlawful medicine.
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