Opinion ID: 783483
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Narcotic Distribution on the Streets

Text: 72 Appellants aided and abetted the distribution of narcotics on the streets. First, the record shows that Appellants shared information, drug connections, and proceeds of their drug trafficking. Second, the record shows that Appellants assigned territory to each member, thereby avoiding competition, and other members would assist a member to resolve a territorial dispute. For instance, at the videotaped January 4, 1995 meeting, the members present tried to resolve a territorial dispute between Arias and co-defendant Sammy Villalba because both had drug dealers working in the same area. 73 Third, the record shows that Appellants used the reputation and violence of the Mexican Mafia to establish control over their territories. For example, the murders and attempted murders of Ana Lizarraga, Manuel Luna, Ricardo Gonzales, Humberto Madrigal, Eduardo Soriano, and Conrad Morales all stemmed from their interference with Gallardo's drug trafficking in Ramona Gardens. Aguirre, Arias, Therrien, and others helped Gallardo carry out these crimes. 74 After gaining control over a territory, Appellants also aided and abetted narcotics trafficking by providing protection and territorial monopolies to drug dealers in exchange for extorted payments (taxes). For example, E. Castro testified that a drug dealer named Joanna agreed to pay the Mexican Mafia $15,000 over a six-month period, to be split between Aguirre, Rodriguez, and E. Castro, in return for protection and the right to sell drugs in a specific area. In a recorded telephone conversation on May 19, 1994, Rodriguez told E. Castro that besides the $15,000 payment from Joanna, each of her drug dealers were going to pay the Mexican Mafia $50 a week. In a recorded meeting on May 24, 1994, a Mexican Mafia associate delivered $900 from Joanna's dealers to E. Castro and Rodriguez. In addition, in a recorded meeting on June 1, 1994, Joanna delivered $7,000 to E. Castro and Rodriguez.