 Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor LOS ANGELES - Six men were arrested December 17, accused of taking part in kidnappings, illegal firearms sales and narcotics trafficking as part of a San Gabriel Valley gang. In all, 20 suspects were charged with various charges offenses, according to a criminal complaint, including one kidnapping, two shootings, illegal firearms sales, trafficking of narcotics, including methamphetamine cocaine, fentanyl, and carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Arrested today include:
In all, 20 suspects have been charged on various offenses, including distribution of methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a machine gun, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Prosecutors said nine of the charged suspects are expected to appear in United States District Court, Los Angeles December 17, while seven more are scheduled to appear in federal court. Three suspects remain at-large:
Another defendant, Heather Johnson, 38, of Victorville, is in state custody, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Investigators seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine, thousands of fentanyl and carfentanil pills, fentanyl powder, 71 firearms, including 14 rifles, one machine-gun conversion device, four short-barreled rifles, three firearms with obliterated serial numbers, three pieces of body armor, thousands of rounds of ammunition and approximately $9,500 in cash, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation is targeting members of the La Puente based Puente-13 street gang which prosecutors said enriches itself and the Mexican Mafia prison gang by controlling the distribution of narcotics within its “territory,” maintaining and expanding that control through violence and threats of violence and punishing those in its territory who cooperate with law enforcement. Some of the criminals acts carried out by those arrested include the December 2022 shooting of rival gangsters at a Covina residence. One of the shooters, Ornelas, tripped and left behind his left shoe, which later helped investigators link him to the shooting, according to an affidavit. In July 2023, Lopez, Covarrubias, and others kidnapped two victims to retrieve items they believed had been stolen during a burglary at Lopez’s residence earlier that month. One of the victims eventually was allowed to leave, but the other victim fled after being severely beaten, according to the affidavit. Another Puente-13-linked shooting occurred in May 2025 outside a La Puente liquor store in which Estrada-Frost, mistaking a victim for being a member of a rival gang, yelled racial slurs at the victim and shot at the victim’s car when the victim drove away from the scene, striking one of the car’s doors, according to the affidavit. If convicted as charged, nine of the defendants arrested December 17 would face statutory maximum sentences of life in federal prison. ********** The arrest record in this article is being redistributed by SGV CityWatch and is protected by constitutional, publishing and other legal rights. Arrest information is public record and was distributed by government sources. The person named in this article has only been arrested on suspicion of the crime(s) listed and is presumed innocent. Copyright 2025. All stories and original images published here are the exclusive property of SGV CityWatch and may not be republished in any form without the permission of this organization. |
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