BRADENTON -- Law enforcement continues to make inroads against local gangs, arresting six reputed members of the Brown Pride Locos on Wednesday.
It was the latest RICO move by local law enforcement against gang activity in Bradenton and Manatee County. RICO is an anti-racketeering law.
The six were charged with racketeering and conspiracy to racketeering, reflecting the continuing strategy of going after gang members for their alleged associations and organized crime activities and not for specific offenses.
The arrests came after an 18-month investigation by the Bradenton Police Department, the state attorney’s office, the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, according to a police news release.
“It’s a united effort,” said Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowski. “We see statistically violent gang-related crime is down. We’re making inroads.
“And, hopefully, the community feels safer with these gang members off the streets.”
The six suspects arrested, according to the police department, are: Natalio “Lonely” Deleon, 22; Juan Carlos “Lazy” Hernandez, 22; Jessie Scott “Bola” Fuentes, 18; Jason “J” Molina, 25; Raul “Sleep” Mondragon, 21; and Moises “Cartoon” Antunes Jr. 23.
The men, all from Bradenton, were being held at the Manatee County jail on bonds totaling $1 million each, according to Bradenton police and the jail website.
Just two weeks ago, on March 2, seven reputed gang members in Manatee were arrested as part of a national anti-gang sweep.
Four of those gang members lived in Bradenton and three resided in Palmetto. Their gang affiliations included MS-13, SUR-13, Brown Pride, Latin Kings, 15th Street, Gangster Disciples and the Notorious Blood Gangsters.
In all, 26 gang members in the Tampa Bay and Fort Myers areas were arrested as part of Project Southern Tempest, led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
ICE that day announced the nationwide arrests of 678 gang member and associates from 133 different gangs, executed in 168 U.S. cities targeting gangs affiliated with drug trafficking organizations.
It is not known if Wednesday’s arrests were a part of Project Southern Tempest.
According to a December census by the state Attorney General’s Office, Florida has 56,200 gang members, associates and other suspects statewide.
Of those, 516 lived in Manatee County in 2010, according to the sheriff’s office.
Manatee has 21 documented gangs, including several motorcycle gangs and Aryan Brotherhood.
Three gangs have undergone previous RICO prosecution: Brown Pride Locos, Third Shift and SUR-13.
