The superseding indictment alleges that members of the Latin Kings violently enforced discipline within their ranks and retaliated against rivals and former members to prevent cooperation with law enforcement. The charges accuse nine defendants of committing six murders in furtherance of the gang’s activities:
ALONZO HORTA, 20, of Hammond, Ind., and GEOVANNI LOPEZ, 28, of Oak Forest, allegedly murdered Alfonso Calderon on April 9, 2017, in Chicago.
DEAN TREVINO, 25, of Chicago, and EMANUEL MENDEZ, 29, of Hammond, Ind., allegedly murdered Ismael Perez on Nov. 3, 2012, in Chicago.
GERONIA FORD, 23, of Chicago, and WILLIAM HAYSLETTE, 24, of Chicago, allegedly murdered Sergio Hernandez on May 15, 2012, in Chicago.
JUAN JIMENEZ, 35, of Blue Island, allegedly murdered Isiah Cintron on Jan. 18, 2007, in Hammond, Ind.
THOMAS LUCZAK, 44, of Chicago, allegedly murdered Juan Serratos on June 11, 2000, in Chicago.
JOSE JARAMILLO, 35, of Hammond, Ind., allegedly murdered Jeremy Ward on Nov. 15, 1999, in Chicago.
Mendez and two other defendants – ORLANDO MARIN, 29, of Chicago, and ROY VEGA, 35, of Chicago – are also charged with committing attempted murders.
The defendants participated in the Southeast Region of the Latin Kings, which contains more than a dozen chapters answering to a regional structure of leadership, according to the indictment. Each chapter is typically named after the city in which it operates, or by a street or streets that run through the chapter. Among the Chicago chapters in the Southeast Region are 82nd Street, 88th and 89th Streets, 97th Street, 99th Street, 102nd Street, 104th Street, and the Roseland neighborhood. Other regional chapters operated in the south suburbs of Blue Island, Dolton, Harvey and Chicago Heights, as well as in Kankakee and communities across the border in Indiana, according to the indictment.
The indictment charges defendants who serve in various high-ranking positions of the Latin Kings. These positions include “Regional Enforcers,†who violently instill discipline within the ranks; “Incas,†who serve as chapter leaders; “Caciques,†who are second in command behind the Incas; “Soldiers,†who often carry dangerous weapons to carry out the gang’s activities; and “Regional Treasurer,†who collects dues from Latin King chapters to finance the gang’s activities.
Several firearm offenses are also charged in the indictment, including unlawful possession of guns, assault with a dangerous weapon, illegal dealing of guns, and multiple counts of witness intimidation.
The investigation was conducted under the umbrella of the OCDETF program, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of OCDETF is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/p...-indictment-against-chicago-gang-members
