Mexican Mafia suspected chief Peter Ojeda and three others plead not guilty to federal racketeering and violent crime charges

BY SEAN EMERY | STAFF WRITER | OC Register
June 29, 2015 | Updated 1:21 p.m.

Four suspected members of the Mexican Mafia, including a man believed to be one of the gang’s most established leaders, pleaded not guilty on Monday morning to federal racketeering and violent crimes charges.

Peter Ojeda – who authorities allege holds the primary leadership in the local Mexican Mafia enterprises – Donald Edward Aguilar, Jacobo Huanosto and Susan Jeanette Rodriguez all appeared for the brief hearing in Santa Ana, less than two weeks after they were named in an updated federal indictment.

In 2011, Ojeda, Aguilar, Huanosto and Rodriguez were among nearly 100 alleged gang members caught in a massive indictment aimed at dealing a devastating blow to local gangs. Known as “Operation Black Flag” the joint federal and local investigation led to the raids of more than 40 locations in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties.

The indictment alleged that Ojeda rose from being a member of a Santa Ana street gang to the top of the local command structure of the prison-based Mexican Mafia, controlling gang activity, and demanding a cut of their cash, from behind bars.

But much of the indictment also focused on a power struggle between Ojeda and Armando Moreno, former partners whose falling out and subsequent battle over control of the OC Mexican Mafia led to a wave of violence in the streets and local jails.

According to court records, many of the dozens of suspected gang members identified in the 2011 indictment have since been convicted and sentenced to prison time.

The recent, superseding indictment names only Ojeda, Aguilar, Huanosto and Rodriguez, as well as Michael Sancen. They are accused of being involved in drug manufacturing and dealing, as well as conspiring to murder or assault Moreno and those loyal to him.

Ojeda and Aguilar were in the custody of U.S. Marshals during their appearance before Magistrate Judge Jay C. Gandhi. Huanosto and Rodriguez were out on bond, and joined in the audience by a group of family and friends. Sancen was not scheduled to appear in court.

An attorney who represented the four at Monday’s hearing declined to comment on charges outlined in the new indictment.

Their trial is tentatively scheduled to begin on Oct. 6 in the court of U.S. District Court Judge James V. Selna.