Dozens Indicted After Three L.A. Gangs Unify Under Mexican Mafia, Feds Allege

Showing a “Black Hand” tattoo of the Mexican Mafia, Rene Enriquez, former member of the group, talks at the state prison in Lancaster about the development of the underground criminal organization. He is serving life for two murders committed while he was part of the Mexican Mafia. (credit: Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Jun 18, 2015 / 07:21 PM PDT

Updated: Jun 18, 2015 / 10:15 PM PDT

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Nearly two dozen members of three Northeast Los Angeles gangs united by the Mexican Mafia have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of racketeering, extorting money from drug sellers and conspiring to kill rivals.

The indictment unsealed Thursday reveals the Mexican Mafia or La Eme united the leadership of three multi-generational gangs — Frogtown, the Rascals and Toonerville — that control territories in Atwater Village, Glendale and northeast Los Angeles.

Setting aside decades of rivalry, the gangs’ hundreds of members united under the leadership of Arnold “Arnie” Gonzales, a key leader of the Mexican Mafia serving a life sentence in Pelican Bay, and Jorge Grey, Frogtown’s leader or so-called “shot caller,” according to the indictment.

Grey and Frutoso “Drowsy” Mendoza and a third defendant remain at large.

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