The vinelAND BOYZ

1. The vinelAND BOYZ By: Jackie Pons Period:4 Date:1-22-07

2. Central Research Question: • Supporting Question/Subtopic 1:How many members of the Vineland Boyz were arrested and for what? • Supporting Question/Subtopic 2:How many police officers were apart of this investigation of murders and crimes? • Supporting Question/Subtopic 3:What was the longest investigation that was reported? • Supporting Question/Subtopic 4:How long did members of the Vineland Boyz stay in jail or how long of community service did they get?

3. About the VBS The research I chose to do was about the Vineland Boyz gang and a crazy night they had called silent night. The Vineland Boyz were one of the most violent gangs of America. They did crimes, murders, and they sold drugs. The police recommended them to be the most searched and investigated. The investigations I am about to tell started around the 1980’s-2003. They were searched in North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Palmdale, and Burbank. It was around 4:30 a.m. on a tuesday when police and investigators started to search for members of the Vineland Boyz gang. This investigation was 18 months. The investigation is about two cops that were killed and the police were so determined to catch the killer and the members of the Vineland Boyz so that they wouldn’t do anymore crimes and for them to think of what they did was wrong. During the investigation there was a teen killed and so the police were even more determined to catch the members of the gang. Some members were arrested for up to 15 years.

4. Sun Valley Investigation Eight local and federal law-enforcement agents loudly knocked four times on the door of a two-story condo complex in a middle-class neighborhood of Van Nuys before dawn Tuesday. When no one came to the door, officers kicked it in and rousted awake 28-year-old Jose “Crusty” Cardoza, an alleged associate of the Vineland Boyz street gang. Police allegedly found cocaine, three loaded handguns and about 900 rounds of ammunition in the house. The gang member was suspected in Santa Paula officer killings. “We let him dress and put his shirt and shoes on. He didn’t resist arrest. The whole thing took about 30 or 40 minutes. This was the third time in less than a month that police went after the Vineland Boyz & its associates. During the course of the investigation, which totaled more than 200 arrests, more than a million dollars was confiscated as well as 75 firearms and 300 pounds of cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin.

5. Two Cops Killed http://www.nbc4.tv/slideshow/news/4633782/detail.html?qs=;s=14;w=400 • The early morning investigation began at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, when officers began serving 43 search and arrest warrants on members of the Vineland Boyz gang in Los Angeles, Palmdale, Rosamond, Valencia, Bakersfield and Simi Valley, police said. The Vineland Boyz gang is suspected in the fatal shooting of Los Angeles Officer James Beyea in 1988 and the 2003 shooting death of Burbank Officer Matthew Pavelka. Matthew Pavelka was shot 14 times and died at that moment. One of the suspects were also killed do to the cause of him telling police for evidence. • 23 members were arrested over 24 hours that accuses of a host of narcotic, weapon & violent crimes, including a murder of a 16-year-old witness & a police officer. 12 other defendants were already in custody including the man accused of pulling the trigger that killed police officer Matthew pavelka. • 1,300 law enforcement officers executed 43 search warrants, $30,000 in cash, & seized 41 guns and 12 pounds of narcotics (primarily marijuana), and arresting 36 people — some on weapons and drug charges. • The indictment also charges another alleged member, Horacio "Horse" Yepiz, with shooting one of the gang's leaders on Aug. 12, 2003 so he could take over. Another killing was carried out on May 12, 2003, by Raul "Clown" Robledo, who acted on the orders of one of the gang's leaders, Jose "Peps" Ledesma, who had shot and killed a rival gang member and feared the victim could identify him, according to the indictment. • Founded in the 1980s by members of a San Fernando Valley–area football team, the Vineland Boyz first hit the attention of the police in 1988 after LAPD Officer James Beyea was killed after he confronted a 17-year-old suspected Vineland Boyz gang member in North Hollywood during a burglary investigation.

6. A Teen Killed A teenage was shot and killed last night while members of the Vineland Boyz were still being investigated. I just read about it in the Sunday paper. At the Pacific View High School, where most of the students are in gangs (mostly CO x CH). Fernando Mosqueda (17) was sitting in a car talking to friends in the 1700 block of San Marino Street near Guava Street shortly before 10 p.m. A car with three men inside pulled up to where Mosqueda was parked, and at least two of them got out of the car. The men asked Mosqueda and his friends where they were from, then began shooting into the car. At least one bullet hit Mosqueda in the chest before the men jumped back into the car and left. Like in Burbank they arrested around a hundred or so gang members from the gang "Vineland Boys" only after that cop got killed in Nov. People wonder and ask why didn't they arrest these guys before, if they had something to arrest them on?

7. Members of The Gang • The following persons were named in the indictment. Underscored names indicate persons arrested during Operation Silent Night, June 21, 2005: • Jose De Jesus Agredano, 39, a fugitive believed to be residing in Mexico; • Espiridion Aranda, 26, of Sun Valley, who is currently in federal custody; • Ricardo Avila, 29, of Sylmar; • Eric Avina, 25, of Sun Valley, who is currently in state prison; • Ruben Ayala, 30, of Sylmar; • Ricardo Barba, 20, of Sun Valley; • Jaime Bautista, 30, of Sun Valley; • Gilberto Carrasco, 35, of Sun Valley; • Carlos Able Cassillas, 34, of Sylmar; • Carlos Campos, 34, of Winnetka; • Saign Mahaya Charlsestein, 26, of Sylmar; • Jesus Contreras, 32, of Sun Valley; • Javier Covarrubias, 21, of Sun Valley, who is eligible for the death penalty in relation to the murder of a witness to a crime, and is already in state custody; • There were many other names that could have filled up pages and pages. They were all arrested and charged. Some members were put in jail (prison) for many years, and some were put in the death department to not be a part of life. Other members were charged and had to wear ankle detectors so that police could know where they are and to make sure that they would not be near other rival gang members and other people. Members regret that they were apart of this gang and for what they did to police officer Matthew Pavelka for the fact of they would not be able to see there family, have civil rights, having privileges, and that they would not be apart of nature. In the 18-months preceding today’s operation, the Silent Night Task Force arrested 231 persons, impounded 25 cars, seized 75 firearms, over 300 pounds of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin, and over $1 million.

8. Bibliography • Sun Valley Investigation: www.santapaulatimes.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/12550/Former_SPPD_Officer_shot:_Vineland_Boys_convicted_on_RICO_charges_.htm • Two Cops Murdered: www.laweekly.com/news/taking-down-the-vineland-boyz/442 • A Teen Killed: www.brendastardom.com/arch.asp?ArchID=367 • Members of The Gang: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/cac/pr2005/OperationSilentNight.pdf • Other websites: • http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4633562/detail.html