Thirteen people suspected of being members or associates of the Mexican Mafia prison gang have been charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for their roles in what authorities said was a narcotics smuggling operation and violent assault that took place within the Los Angeles County jail system.
Estela Guerrero, 50, and Daniel Arochi-Gonzalez, 24, were arrested Thursday at their homes, said Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI. Rosa Christina Martinez, 35, was arrested Friday. Marco Lujan, 47, and Ariel Pereyra, 28, were being sought.
The other defendants, who were already in jail on unrelated charges, are Jose Martinez, 36; Pharoah Brooks, 47; David Fraysure, 28; Jackie Triplett, 40; Jessie Quintero, 44′ Andy Dominguez, 30; Angel Grajales, 33; and Daniel Garcia, 37, Eimiller said.
The investigation began in February of 2022, after reports that narcotics had been smuggled into the Los Angeles County Jail, as well as a report of a violent attack of an inmate within the jail, Eimiller said.
“The narcotics smuggling and violent assault are alleged to have been coordinated by several high-ranking associates of the Mexican Mafia from outside of the jail under the authority of a Mexican Mafia member in state prison,” Eimiller said. “That inmate had been charged with operating inside of a Los Angeles County facility on behalf of the Mexican Mafia criminal enterprise.”
According to investigators and deputy district attorneys who filed the case, a Mexican Mafia “facilitator” allegedly relayed orders to Mexican Mafia associates within the Los Angeles County jail — known as “Sureños” or “soldiers” — to attack someone who had falsely claimed to be a member of the Mexican Mafia, which is “an act considered to be a serious violation to the criminal organization,” Eimiller said.
“On orders passed through the facilitator, multiple Sureños are alleged to have attacked the victim who was transported to a hospital,” Eimiller said.
“During the investigation, a Mexican Mafia secretary and inmates — known as “shotcallers” — in leadership positions for the Mexican Mafia, allegedly coordinated the movement of drugs that had been smuggled into the jail, Eimiller said.
According to investigators, the narcotics were moved to different locations within the jail to be sold to other inmates for the collection of Mexican Mafia proceeds, Eimiller said.