Indio Mayor Says D.A. Wrong About Who Runs Indio

As efforts continue today to find a number of suspects facing federal charges in the wake of Riverside County’s largest-ever gang sweep, Indio Mayor Lupe Watson blasted the Riverside County district attorney for comments he made about her community.

“I thought it was a typo, but when speaking to his office he stood by his comment”, Watson said. She made it very clear the day after the sweep She thinks Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco was wrong when he said gangs were running her city. “The citizen’s of Indio, all 88,000 of them are running Indio, I disagree that the gangs are running Indio.”

Pacheco made the statement to a local paper. The reporter quoted Pacheco as saying, “We’re going to try to hit as many gang members as possible. They’re basically running the town.” His office confirmed in an e-mail Wednesday, “Yes, the Desert Sun is accurate. The District Attorney stands by his comments in that article.”

At Tuesday’s news conference, Indio Police Chief Bradley Ramos had this to say about Pacheco’s comment, “98 percent are good people, we have 2 percent that are causing the problems.”

Fourteen of 22 federal defendants were among those arrested yesterday in the massive operation focused on three Indio street gangs, including one accused of methamphetamine trafficking.

Three defendants already were in federal custody on unrelated charges, an FBI official said.

Eleven federal search warrants were executed during the sweep dubbed “Eastern Encore.” About $159,000 in cash was seized, most of it at one location, authorities said.

Federal charges accuse the defendants of involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking enterprise, and federal firearms violations.

The investigation into the gangs was carried out by a team made up of FBI, federal firearms and immigration agents, and investigators with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and Indio police. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service also supported the operation.

The federal government said it will file writs seeking custody of some defendants now in state lockups. Authorities are still trying to find eight defendants. If convicted, the defendants would face federal prison terms mandated at a minimum of five years and 10 years, depending on the circumstances.

The FBI listed these individuals as in custody or at large:

Federal custody — Miguel Sauceda of Coachella;

Arrested — Jose Fuentes-Sauceda, Coachella; Osiel Pantaleon, Indio; Michael Ramirez, Coachella; Eduardo Flores Corral, Indio; Delila Minique Flores, Indio; Raymond Villagomez, Indio; Robert Luis Gaeta, Indio; Rogelio Sanchez Carranza, Coachella; Francisco Romero; David Gaeta, Indio; Rolando Garza, Indio; Juanita Katrina Perez, Coachella; Christina Rocha, Indio;

At large — Samuel Parra Barnachia, Coachella; Carlos Grando Barnachia, Coachella; Robert Perez, Indio; Telly Chakalis, La Quinta; Robert Luna, Bermuda Dunes;

In state custody — Silviano Franco; Arturo Vega.

“Operation Eastern Encore” was designed to take down three gangs — South Side Indio, and two that operate under its umbrella, Jackson Terrace and Campo — that have been in the city since the 1970s and 1980s, authorities said.

According to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, the targeted gang members or associates have been responsible for a collective 518 crimes since 1998.

A total of 42 law enforcement agencies, targeting 450 locations, were said to have been involved in the raids that began before dawn.

County prosecutors will ask a state judge this week to grant a restraining order that will bar named individuals from engaging in gang activities and drug sales in a specified “safety zone” in Indio that includes a number of schools and parks.