August 21, 2007

58 gang members arrested in ICE-led multi-agency operation

CHICAGO - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents here, in close partnership with local law enforcement officers, arrested 58 Mexican nationals with ties to violent street gangs in the northern and northwest suburbs this week in the largest local dragnet targeting foreign-born street gang members.

These are the latest arrests under an ongoing national ICE initiative called "Operation Community Shield," in which ICE partners with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to address the public safety threat posed by transnational street gangs. Such law enforcement partnerships are essential to the success of the initiative and help ensure officer safety during the operations.

The multi-agency operation targeted foreign national gang members and gang associates in the northern and northwest suburbs, including the communities of Waukegan, Mundelein, and Round Lake. All those arrested this week are Mexican men who were targeted for their affiliations with violent street gangs such as the Latin Kings, Sureño-13s, and the Latin Lovers, among others. Of the 58 arrested, 37 are illegal aliens and 21 are U.S. permanent residents whose previous criminal convictions render them eligible for deportation.

Nationally, ICE agents have arrested more than 5,000 members from more than 500 different gangs under Operation Community Shield. Locally, ICE agents in Chicago have made more than 275 arrests since the Operation Community Shield was established in February 2005.

"Street gangs pose a growing public safety threat to communities throughout this area," said Elissa A. Brown, special agent in charge for the ICE Office of Investigations in Chicago. "We will not tolerate violent gang activity in our cities, and will use all of our law enforcement tools to thwart criminal efforts of gangs such as the Latin Kings. Operation Community Shield shows how ICE works with our law enforcement partners to dismantle these criminal organizations and help protect our communities."

The U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, Lake County Sheriff's Department, and the Waukegan and Mundelein Police Departments assisted ICE in the enforcement effort, which began Sunday night and concluded Wednesday.

Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran added: "I commend ICE's efforts in working with local law enforcement to rid our streets of one of our biggest public safety threats - that being street gangs."

One of the men arrested by ICE agents earlier this week was Edgar Rodriguez-Tovar, a 23-year-old Sureño-13 member. Arrested Aug. 26 in Round Lake, Rodriguez-Tovar is an illegal alien from Mexico. He has prior criminal convictions for aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated battery. He remains in ICE custody pending deportation to Mexico.

ICE agents also arrested Mario Vargas-Hernandez Aug. 26 at his Waukegan residence. Vargas-Hernandez, 34, is a member of the Latin Kings with gang tattoos confirming his membership. Vargas-Hernandez, an illegal alien, has a burglary conviction and numerous arrests for unlawfully using a weapon, possessing a firearm, battery and aggravated assault. He remains in ICE custody pending removal to Mexico.

Some of the crimes associated with the gang members arrested during this local operation include: aggravated battery, possessing a controlled substance, armed violence, possessing a firearm, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, drunken driving, mob action and burglary.

Six of those arrested had active warrants for their arrest and will be turned over to local authorities to face criminal charges. After those charges are resolved, they will be transferred back to ICE for deportation. Three of those arrested are being presented to the U.S. Attorney's Office for federal prosecution for re-entering the United States after having already been deported, which is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. ICE will process the remainder of those arrested for deportation.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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