"OPERATION FALLING SUN" 700 POLICE OFFICERS DEVASTATE GANGS IN DESERT HOT SPRINGS

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA - MARCH 27, 2009: Today, an 8-month investigation resulted in 700 police officers from 35 different law enforcement agencies conducting the largest gang suppression operation in the history of Riverside County. The operation was conducted in conjunction with the service of two gang injunction lawsuits against two of the most violent Desert Hot Springs criminal street gangs.

"When Desert Hot Springs wakes up tomorrow, it will be a different city and a new day. This operation marks the beginning of a permanent shift of power from the hands of the violent gang members back into the hands of the men, women and children of this good community," said District Attorney Rod Pacheco.

In August 2008, the Desert Hot Springs City Manager, Rick Daniels, and Police Chief, Patrick Williams, approached District Attorney Rod Pacheco regarding the possibility of obtaining a gang injunction against a Desert Hot Springs-based criminal street gang. The group agreed to seek an injunction and began the process of gathering the legal information necessary to obtain the injunction.

After they agreed to seek an injunction, District Attorney Investigators conducted a preliminary evaluation of the gang problems in Desert Hot Springs and quickly recognized a greater potential for success if a much larger operation was conducted. The District Attorney used these preliminary results to develop plans for a much larger operation in which resources were pooled and gang members were targeted by several law enforcement agencies on multiple levels. District Attorney's Investigators, Sheriff's Deputies, Desert Hot Springs Police Officers, and FBI Agents was assigned to a team directed with investigating and identifying each an every gang member and associate in the Desert Hot Springs region. A Supervising District Attorney Investigator was tasked with building the team and leading the operation, which soon became known as "Operation Falling Sun."

During their investigation, the multi-agency team learned valuable information that allowed them to identify and establish the identities and roles of hundreds of gang members and associates from several different gangs. The team began to seek assistance and build consensus from other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. The team identified the gangs, the nature of their crimes, and their special identifying characteristics. Using that information, they developed suppression strategies and built cases against both gang leaders and rank-and-file members. They partnered resources from 35 different agencies and used the information gathered over the course of their investigation to execute a massive suppression operation today. The team, which has been referring to March 27, 2009 as "D-day," systematically targeted each and every known gang member and their associates within the Desert Hot Springs Region.

Operation Falling Sun targeted approximately 400 gang members and known associates from six gangs. Police officers raided their residences within the Desert Hot Springs region. Among others, the "West Drive Locos," "True Crime Boys," "Browns Town Locos," "Coachella Valley Criminals," "12 Street Mafia" and "Jackson Terrace" criminal street gangs were targeted during the raids.

Two gangs, the West Drive Locos and True Crime Boys, have been served with notification of a pending civil lawsuit against their criminal street gangs. The lawsuit notification gives official notice of the District Attorney's intent to seek a judge's approval of a preliminary injunction in Indio court. After the declaration of a preliminary injunction, the mobility and influence of any remaining gang members in Desert Hot Springs will be seriously disrupted.

The 8-month investigation also uncovered problems with illegal immigrant gang members and partnered resources with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As part of an ongoing program, the Riverside County District Attorney's office works with the U.S. Attorney to federally prosecute gang members who have entered the country illegally. Today, ICE served search warrants and executed arrest warrants for every known illegal immigrant gang member in the Desert Hot Springs region.

"This is an important step for our community in reclaiming our neighborhoods from the grasp of gangs, drugs and street violence. I am appreciative of the collaborative efforts of District Attorney Pacheco, Sheriff Sniff and Central District US Attorney O'Brien in helping improve the safety and security of Desert Hot Springs," said Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Patrick Williams.

The 8-month investigation resulted in the following actions:

• notification of a gang injunction lawsuit for the West Drive Locos criminal street gang
• notification of a gang injunction lawsuit for the True Crime Boys criminal street gang
• search warrants executed on gang members residences
• probation searches conducted on gang members
• parole searches conducted on gang members
• deportation of illegal immigrant gang members
• prosecution of illegal immigrant gang members
• asset forfeiture
• code enforcement and abatement of gang plagued buildings and houses
• demolition of a "gang house" within the West Drive Locos safety zone
• seizure of gang members illegal weapons and drugs
• HUD housing search warrants executed
• complete shut down of a major chop shop
• sting operations targeting auto theft through the usage of bait car