Federal authorities arrested 16 alleged gangbangers — with nicknames like “Rooster,” “Ghost” and “Lil Speedy” — linked to a violent Mexican Mafia jail gang following a serious investigation into kidnapping, shootings and drug trafficking.
The feds rounded up members and associates of Puente-13, a San Gabriel Valley-based crew, alleging their involvement in a single kidnapping, two shootings, unlawful firearms gross sales, and peddling narcotics, together with carfentanil, an artificial opioid 100 occasions extra highly effective than fentanyl, the US Legal professional’s Workplace introduced Wednesday.
Amongst these collared have been Victor “Pollo” Sanchez, 24; Isaiah “Boy” Castro, 24; Isaac “Ghost” Estrada-Frost, 21; Heather “Snowbella” Covarrubias, 40; Adrian “Monkey” Lopez, 25; and Dominic “Lil Speedy” Ornelas, 23.
Prosecutors mentioned that Ornelas fired a weapon in a lethal 2022 capturing of rival gangsters at a Covina residence and tripped throughout the getaway, forsaking a shoe that helped legislation enforcement hyperlink him to the bloody crime.
Over the course of the investigation, brokers seized a staggering haul: roughly 10 kilos of meth, hundreds of tablets containing fentanyl and carfentanil, 71 firearms — together with rifles, short-barreled weapons and a machine-gun conversion gadget — physique armor, mountains of ammo and practically $10,000 in money.
In July 2023, Lopez, Covarrubias and others allegedly kidnapped two folks over gadgets they believed have been stolen from them throughout a housebreaking, the feds charged. One sufferer escaped after a brutal beating.
In Might 2025, Estrada-Frost allegedly fired at a person’s automotive outdoors a La Puente liquor retailer after mistaking him for a rival gang member.
Authorities say Puente-13 operates as a revenue arm of the Mexican Mafia, controlling narcotics gross sales in its territory and punishing anybody who cooperates with police.
Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesperson for the US Legal professional’s Workplace, declined to say if extra raids are coming.
In complete, 20 folks have been charged with crimes and two suspects stay on the run. McEvoy confirmed that each one people taken into custody are US residents.
9 defendants face potential life sentences if convicted.
The case is being prosecuted by the US Legal professional’s Workplace with assist from ATF, California Freeway Patrol, native police departments and the LA County Sheriff’s Division.
