Gangs Division
The District Attorney’s Gangs Division has the task of prosecuting the most serious gang offenders. The Gangs Division is a vertical prosecution unit which combines deputy district attorneys with district attorney investigators to handle the unique and dangerous issues that arise in gang prosecutions. Led by Division Chief Dana Greisen and Assistant Chief Valerie Summers, the division’s personnel are some of the finest in the nation.
The
Gangs Division has continued its proactive role with local, state, and
federal law enforcement during 2009. Prosecutors and investigators from
the division participate and assist on numerous task forces specifically
aimed at gang members and the crimes they commit.
As part of this approach during 2009, the Gangs Division participated in “Operation Stampede” and “Operation Red Sky.” These targeted operations have been highly successful in addressing gang crime in San Diego. Under this approach each member of a gang is targeted for the crimes they commit regardless of their role in the gang. This zero tolerance for gang crimes resulted in dozens of arrests of members of San Diego’s most violent gangs for charges ranging from drug sales and prostitution to armed assaults and murders. As a result, gang homicide rates have plummeted in the City of San Diego to their lowest in the last 20 years.
Gang members are also targeted through civil injunctions and abatements in order to disrupt the gang culture and lifestyle and raise the quality of life for members of the community.
The “Border Crimes Task Force” was founded in 2009 through a federal grant. Assigned to the task force are a deputy district attorney and district attorney investigator. Along with federal and state law enforcement, the task force combats violent crime including murders, kidnappings, robberies and narcotic trafficking, associated with major Mexican drug cartels. This proactive task force coordinates efforts of law enforcement and prosecution to effectively combat the growing threat of serious violent crime occurring in San Diego as a result of drug cartel influence.
Prosecutors in this division also use court-approved wiretaps, undercover operations, and gang injunctions to stop violence before it occurs. Further, they work closely with local law enforcement and community organizations to help in gang intervention to try and stop gang violence before it starts.
While there are hundreds of success stories in this division, the ongoing seriousness of gang violence in San Diego is reflected by the kinds of cases and defendants prosecuted in 2009.
Major cases included:
People v. Johnson, Siulua, and Toluao
These defendants were tried in a case that involved a planned attack on
a rival gang. These defendants armed themselves, drove into rival territory
and approached a group of victims. One victim was shot four times, killing
him. A second victim was shot in the chest, but survived. The defendants
were convicted of both first-degree murder and attempted murder, with
gun and gang allegations.
People v. Gaono
This defendant was charged with the ambush murder of Oceanside Police Officer
Daniel Bessant. During a patrol stop, this officer was shot in cold blood
by gang members from their gang hangout. The jury returned verdicts of
first-degree murder with special circumstances and gun and gang allegations.
People v. Davis and Wanton
This case involved a retaliation shooting by gang members for a previous
shooting. These defendants drove to a rival territory hunting for victims.
They approached two innocent victims on a playground and opened fire with
two handguns. One victim was murdered and the other seriously injured.
They then left the scene and were apprehended during an apparent attempt
to engage in more shootings. One defendant was convicted of first-degree
murder, while another defendant was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
People v. Norris and Moss
This case involved a year-long crime spree which resulted in two separate
unrelated murders, four attempt murders, a robbery, and witness intimidation.
These defendants chased and gunned down a rival gang member, shot into
his car, killing him and seriously injuring his passenger girlfriend. The
sole motivation for this murder was the color of the victim’s shirt. One
month later, the defendants planned an attack on a person whom they believed
was cooperating with a rival gang. The defendants ambushed their targets,
firing at four unarmed individuals. Two defendants were tried and convicted
of two first-degree murders with special circumstances, four attempted
murders, robbery, weapons possession, and witness intimidation.
People v. Watson
This case went unsolved since 1994. A group of defendants went out to commit
armed street robberies. This defendant and another came out of a vehicle
and robbed two women who were merely walking down the street. This defendant,
without reason, shot one of the women in the back as she tried to flee.
An anonymous tipster placed a call in late 2007 allowing the investigation
to be reopened. The defendant was convicted by jury of first-degree murder
with special circumstances.
