Federal indictment unsealed in Dodge City
DODGE CITY —
On a date that was nearly the anniversary of the of the original Dodge City Peace Commission, a group of law enforcement officials stood together to tell about their effort to take on a gang. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom was in Dodge City on Friday when a federal indictment against members of the Norteno gang was unsealed. A team of law enforcement leaders that included former Dodge City police chief John Ball, Dodge City police chief Craig Melleker and County Attorney Terry Malone, were on hand. Grissom praised the police and members of the Ford County sheriff’s department, who had been working on the indictment with investigations that spanned four years. He cited their success as an example of what law enforcement could do when groups worked together. According to Grissom, members of the Norteno gang had been charged in a sealed federal indictment with charges that include drug trafficking, armed robbery and murder. The murder charge came from June of 2009 and the murder of Israel Peralta. Grissom pointed out that by making the charges on a federal level they would be able to seek longer sentences and having sentences that did not include the option of parole.
County Attorney Terry Malone praised the efforts of Grissom and the staff at the U.S. attorney's office. Malone also thanked assistant county attorney Scott James for his efforts on the case. Dodge City Police Chief Craig Mellecker said they were successful at "wrapping up some of the leadership" of the Norteno gang. Mellecker also stressed that any victim of crime should know that the police force would investigate. "We're not interested in your immigration status," Mellecker said. The indictment charged 23 defendants. Grissom stressed that although the members of the Norteno gang were Latino, there should not be an assumption that this was a gang made up of illegal immigrants from Mexico. He said that of the 23 charged, only one was undocumented. According to Grissom, the Norteno gang originated in northern California in the 1960s. He said they were drawn to the Dodge City area due to the number of immigrants working at the beef packing plants who are new to the community and can be easy for gangs to prey upon. A press release issued by the U.S. attorney's office listed the names of those charged in the indictment:
The defendants include:
Jason Najera, 28, Dodge City, Kan., who is alleged to have been the leader of the Nortenos.
Pedro Garcia, 25, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Gonzalo Ramirez, 26, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Russell Worthey, 23, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Anthony Wright, 26, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Joshua Flores, 24, Dodge City, Kan.
Jesus Flores, 26, Dodge City, Kan.
Angel Cerda, 26, Dodge City, Kan.
Juan Torres, 21, Dodge City, Kan.
Alfredo Beltran-Ruiz, 21, Dodge City, Kan.
Donte Barnes, 20, Dodge City, Kan.
Jesus Sanchez, 22, Dodge City, Kan.
Enrique Gobin, 22, Dodge City, Kan.
Alfonso Banda-Hernandez, 19, Dodge City, Kan.
Andrew Gusman, 19, Dodge City, Kan.
Eusebio Sierra-Medrano, 31, Dodge City, Kan.
Jayson Vargas, 29, Dodge City, Kan,
Adam Flores, Dodge City, Kan.
Fabian Neave, 25, Dodge City, Kan.
Jesus Torres, 28, Dodge City, Kan.
Jose Neave, 22, Dodge City, Kan.
Hernan Quezada, 29, Dodge City, Kan.
Humberto Ortiz, 19, Dodge City, Kan.
"We haven't eradicated an entire gang," Grissom said, "but we've made a dent."
DODGE CITY —
On a date that was nearly the anniversary of the of the original Dodge City Peace Commission, a group of law enforcement officials stood together to tell about their effort to take on a gang. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom was in Dodge City on Friday when a federal indictment against members of the Norteno gang was unsealed. A team of law enforcement leaders that included former Dodge City police chief John Ball, Dodge City police chief Craig Melleker and County Attorney Terry Malone, were on hand. Grissom praised the police and members of the Ford County sheriff’s department, who had been working on the indictment with investigations that spanned four years. He cited their success as an example of what law enforcement could do when groups worked together. According to Grissom, members of the Norteno gang had been charged in a sealed federal indictment with charges that include drug trafficking, armed robbery and murder. The murder charge came from June of 2009 and the murder of Israel Peralta. Grissom pointed out that by making the charges on a federal level they would be able to seek longer sentences and having sentences that did not include the option of parole.
County Attorney Terry Malone praised the efforts of Grissom and the staff at the U.S. attorney's office. Malone also thanked assistant county attorney Scott James for his efforts on the case. Dodge City Police Chief Craig Mellecker said they were successful at "wrapping up some of the leadership" of the Norteno gang. Mellecker also stressed that any victim of crime should know that the police force would investigate. "We're not interested in your immigration status," Mellecker said. The indictment charged 23 defendants. Grissom stressed that although the members of the Norteno gang were Latino, there should not be an assumption that this was a gang made up of illegal immigrants from Mexico. He said that of the 23 charged, only one was undocumented. According to Grissom, the Norteno gang originated in northern California in the 1960s. He said they were drawn to the Dodge City area due to the number of immigrants working at the beef packing plants who are new to the community and can be easy for gangs to prey upon. A press release issued by the U.S. attorney's office listed the names of those charged in the indictment:
The defendants include:
Jason Najera, 28, Dodge City, Kan., who is alleged to have been the leader of the Nortenos.
Pedro Garcia, 25, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Gonzalo Ramirez, 26, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Russell Worthey, 23, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Anthony Wright, 26, Dodge City, Kan., whose charges include murder.
Joshua Flores, 24, Dodge City, Kan.
Jesus Flores, 26, Dodge City, Kan.
Angel Cerda, 26, Dodge City, Kan.
Juan Torres, 21, Dodge City, Kan.
Alfredo Beltran-Ruiz, 21, Dodge City, Kan.
Donte Barnes, 20, Dodge City, Kan.
Jesus Sanchez, 22, Dodge City, Kan.
Enrique Gobin, 22, Dodge City, Kan.
Alfonso Banda-Hernandez, 19, Dodge City, Kan.
Andrew Gusman, 19, Dodge City, Kan.
Eusebio Sierra-Medrano, 31, Dodge City, Kan.
Jayson Vargas, 29, Dodge City, Kan,
Adam Flores, Dodge City, Kan.
Fabian Neave, 25, Dodge City, Kan.
Jesus Torres, 28, Dodge City, Kan.
Jose Neave, 22, Dodge City, Kan.
Hernan Quezada, 29, Dodge City, Kan.
Humberto Ortiz, 19, Dodge City, Kan.
"We haven't eradicated an entire gang," Grissom said, "but we've made a dent."
