Police Sweep Nets Mara Salvatrucha Gang Members

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15, 2007 (KABC-TV) (KABC) -- The man the FBI calls the local ringleader for a notorious international street gang is now behind bars here in Los Angeles. He and several other alleged members of the MS-13 gang have been arrested following a two-year investigation. In Chinatown, authorities conducted one of several sweeps Thursday.

Chinatown is a neighborhood where Salvadoran gangs are not prevalent. For that reason, an apartment building there proved to be a good hiding place for this very elusive and very prominent gang member. It was safe until Thursday morning.

Seized during the search for 60 suspects: guns, drugs and $40,000 in cash. But the biggest catch of all: "Oscar Chacon." Though the name is likely an alias, the FBI identifies him as the shot-caller for the notorious Mara Salvatrucha gang, known as "MS-13."

"The shots that he was calling were primarily control: Control of territories, control of neighborhoods, control of weapons, control of drugs and control of money, which you see here this afternoon," said FBI's Herb Brown.

Chacon's street name: "Little Man," a Salvadoran national who had been deported at least once, but returned illegally. He was one of dozens taken into custody Thursday morning at five locations.

Recent sweeps have targeted MS-13 members in North Hollywood, Rampart District, and Pico-Union.

Officials tell neighbors in those areas Thursday night that they can sleep safer.

Arrests have already squelched violent crime.

"The factions of MS-13 that operate here, crime is down 39 percent, attributed to that gang. And arrests of MS-13 gang members are up 59 percent," said LAPD Chief Bill Bratton.

"They are the new organized crime," said L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. "These are gangsters and they're not on HBO. They're real. And they're the number-one threat to public safety in the city of Los Angeles."

Since an initiative was launched two years ago, more than 8,000 gang arrests have been recorded in Los Angeles County.

What's making the biggest difference, say officials? Improved coordination between local, state and federal agencies, including the civil police in El Salvador. Information-sharing is key to identifying gang members, who use monikers and aliases and can only be identified through fingerprints.

Those arrested Thursday who are foreign-born will be headed back to their home country if they are convicted.

The latest FBI statistics state there are 38 individuals in custody; 26 were fugitives. Police are seeking to arrest dozens more.

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