Opinion ID: 783483
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Murder of Albert Orosco, and Attempted Murders of Hector Galvez and Freddie Garcia

Text: 52 Albert Orosco, Hector Galvez, and Freddie Garcia were members of the Chino Sinners street gang. On March 13, 1994, an unidentified assailant shot Garcia in the leg. On March 14, 1994, Larry Hernandez shot Galvez and Orosco multiple times. Galvez survived, but Orosco died. 53 During a recorded conversation on March 21, 1994, Shryock told E. Castro, I sent them dudes to kill [Orosco] ... and [Galvez] ... they got off, and Freddie [Garcia] got shot in the leg.... [S]ome dude named Larry did it. Shryock further stated that because Galvez, Garcia, and Orosco were puttin' [guns] on little kids heads and hitting old women ... to take their money, he spoke to the alleged victims, and 54 told 'em look, man, don't give 'em no fuckin' money no more, I said ... and the next time you see 'em, if you want to, go ahead and kill them.... [S]o that's what they did. The[] next time he came to collect from somebody he blew him away. They, they killed [Orosco] and, and [Galvez].... And so [Garcia] is the only one that's loose. 3 55 Shryock made similar statements at the videotaped March 27, 1994 meeting. This version of the events was supported by E. Castro's discussion of the incident with Paz Gutierrez, who told him that a guy named Larry killed Orosco and shot Galvez because Larry was tired of being taxed. 56 The indictment charged the conspiracy and murder of Orosco, conspiracy and attempted murder of Galvez, and conspiracy and attempted murder of Garcia as racketeering acts. The jury found the crimes proven as to Shryock, and also convicted Shryock of (1) Orosco's murder to maintain or increase his position in a RICO enterprise; (2) assault on Galvez to maintain or increase his position in a RICO enterprise; and (3) assault on Garcia to maintain or increase his position in a RICO enterprise. 10. Conspiracy to Murder Jesse Aragon 57 At the videotaped March 27, 1994 meeting, Shryock, Barela and other Mexican Mafia members discussed killing Mexican Mafia member Jesse Sleepy Aragon. The members at the meeting decided to kill Aragon because he failed to carry out his assignment to kill a witness against another Mexican Mafia member, and he questioned the decision to kill Mexican Mafia member Phillip Gibby Escobar. 4 At the videotaped March 30, 1994 meeting, the members present assigned Escobar to kill Aragon, and Shryock offered to provide a weapon. On April 5, 1994, Escobar met with Art Aguilar, a Shryock associate, who provided Escobar with a gun. Law enforcement arrested Aragon, however, before he could be killed. 58 The indictment charged the conspiracy to murder Aragon as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to Barela and Shryock. The jury also convicted Barela and Shryock of conspiracy to murder Aragon to maintain or increase their positions in a RICO enterprise. 11. Conspiracy to Murder Francisco Martinez 59 At the videotaped March 27 and 30, 1994 meetings, Barela, R. Castro, Moreno, Shryock, Therrien, and other Mexican Mafia members discussed killing Francisco Puppet Martinez, a Mexican Mafia member incarcerated at Pelican Bay State Prison. These conspirators decided to kill Martinez because he was politicking against other members, threatening to kill other members, claimed to have made an individual a member without following the proper procedure, and for generally causing dissension within the organization. Accordingly, the conspirators devised a plan to invite Martinez to a meeting as a pretext and kill him. Law enforcement, however, arrested Martinez before he could be killed. 60 The indictment charged the conspiracy to murder Martinez as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to Barela, R. Castro, Moreno, Shryock, and Therrien. The jury also convicted the same Appellants of conspiracy to murder Martinez to maintain or increase their positions in a RICO enterprise. 12. Conspiracy to Murder Danilo Garcia 61 Between October and December 1994, government agents intercepted telephone calls in which R. Castro and J. Hernandez plotted to kill Danilo Garcia, an inmate at the Los Angeles County Jail. Law enforcement placed Garcia in protected custody, thwarting any attempts to kill him. 62 The indictment charged the conspiracy to murder Garcia as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to R. Castro and J. Hernandez. The jury also convicted the same Appellants of conspiracy to murder Garcia to maintain or increase their positions in a RICO enterprise. 13. Conspiracy to Murder Donald Ortiz 63 At the videotaped September 25, 1994 meeting, Arias, Barela, Mendez, Therrien, and Shryock reaffirmed an earlier decision to kill Mexican Mafia member Donald Little Man Ortiz because Ortiz had disrespected the Mexican Mafia. This decision was also reaffirmed at the videotaped April 9, 1995 meeting, attended by Aguirre, R. Castro, Gallardo, Mendez, Shryock, and Therrien. By April 1995, however, the jail where Ortiz was incarcerated placed him in protective custody and no Mexican Mafia member had access to him. Accordingly, Gallardo proposed an exception to the rule that only a member could kill another, and to permit an associate to carry out the murder. The members present agreed and decided to have someone subpoena Ortiz to court as a pretext, so that an associate from the gang module where Ortiz was housed could kill him. 64 The indictment charged the conspiracy to murder Ortiz as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to Aguirre, Barela, R. Castro, Gallardo, J. Hernandez, Mendez, Shryock, and Therrien. The jury also convicted the same Appellants of conspiracy to murder Ortiz to maintain or increase their positions in a RICO enterprise. 14. Conspiracy to Murder Ramiro Valerio 65 Ramiro Greedy Valerio was collecting money from drug dealers by claiming he was a member of the Mexican Mafia. At the videotaped March 27, 1994 meeting, the members present clarified that Valerio was not a member and therefore had no authority to collect money or act on the Mexican Mafia's behalf. Consequently, R. Castro and other Mexican Mafia members discussed plans to kill Valerio. Because Valerio wore thick glasses, the members dubbed their murder plot Operation Coke Bottle. 66 On November 21, 1994, R. Castro called Rodriguez to advise him that the police had arrested Valerio and he was in jail, so R. Castro now had the opportunity to kill him. During subsequent conversations, R. Castro devised a plan to kill Valerio while in custody. Law enforcement, however, intercepted these calls and foiled Operation Coke Bottle by placing Valerio in protective custody. 67 The indictment charged the conspiracy to murder Valerio as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to R. Castro. The jury also convicted R. Castro of conspiracy to murder Valerio to maintain or increase his position in a RICO enterprise. 15. Conspiracy to Murder Conrad Morales 68 Gallardo disliked Conrad Morales, a Hazard gang member, because he interfered with Gallardo's drug trafficking in Ramona Gardens. During a recorded conversation on November 28, 1993, Gallardo told E. Castro that Morales and his wife should not get away with living another new years.... [B]ecause they are laughing at us every day. At a meeting on January 25, 1994, Raul Vasquez discussed the need to kill Morales, to which Gallardo replied That's right. At the videotaped March 30, 1994 meeting, the participants again raised the issue of killing Morales. R. Castro offered to send crews to shoot any Hazard gang members that the Mexican Mafia decided to kill. Shryock then identified Morales as a target, to which R. Castro responded: He can be reduced to nothing real quick though.... he's targeted. At a subsequent videotaped meeting, on April 30, 1994, Barela, Moreno, and Shryock stated that Morales had to be killed to end the hostilities between the Mexican Mafia and the Hazard street gang. 69 The indictment charged the conspiracy to murder Morales as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to Barela, R. Castro, Gallardo, Moreno, and Shryock. The jury also convicted the same Appellants with conspiracy to murder Morales to maintain or increase their positions in a RICO enterprise. 70 16. Conspiracy to Aid and Abet the Distribution of Narcotics 71 The Mexican Mafia's drug trafficking operations on the streets and in prison were a main topic of the wiretap and videotape evidence, and E. Castro's testimony. This evidence overwhelmingly showed an extensive conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of narcotics.
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.
75 Appellants also aided and abetted the distribution of narcotics in California's jails and prisons. For example, in a recorded telephone call on March 21, 1995, two Mexican Mafia associates called J. Hernandez from the Los Angeles County Jail and informed him that all of Gallardo's drugs had arrived at the jail, and that approximately $2,500 from the sale of those drugs had been collected on Gallardo's behalf. 76 The indictment charged conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of narcotics as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to all Appellants except Moreno. The jury also convicted the same Appellants of conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of narcotics. 17. Conspiracy to Extort 77 Overwhelming evidence in the record shows that Appellants conspired to extort money and firearms from various street gangs. Audiotaped and videotaped conversations, and E. Castro's testimony, showed that the Mexican Mafia exerted control over street gangs by setting rules of engagement (such as no drive-by shootings) and mediating disputes between street gangs. The Mexican Mafia also extorted regular payments of money and firearms from street gangs. If a gang refused to pay the tax, the Mexican Mafia attacked or allowed attacks by other street gangs against the offending gang. This meant that members of the offending gang were attacked on the street and in jail until the street gang agreed to pay the tax. 78 The indictment charged conspiracy to extort as a racketeering act, and the jury found the crime proven as to all Appellants except Mendez and Moreno. The jury also convicted the same Appellants of conspiracy to extort.