gangs with 13 in their name annouce ties to la Eme?

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Let feds stop gangs
LAST Sunday, reporter Marianne Love spelled out the meaning behind La Eme, the largest prison gang in the state. In spoken word, "la eme' translates to "M' in Spanish and in California crime, equates to "mafia' the Mexican Mafia.

Gangs with "13' in their names announce ties to La Eme. "M' is the 13th letter of the alphabet.

No wonder local law enforcement officials say no matter how you say it, La Eme spells trouble in and out of prison.

Behind bars, La Eme leaders order murders, control drug and gun sales and generally direct criminal activity across the state, most especially in Los Angeles County and in the heavily Latino communities in the San Gabriel Valley.

Despite enhanced punishment, a beefed-up penal code and intervention programs, this gang's presence and influence grows, and the blood of innocents runs, caught in gang crossfire or targets of mistaken identity.

Last year, the FBI was able to bring Los Angeles-area gang lords to justice under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). In that case, prosecutors estimated that the Columbia Li'l Cycos gang based in MacArthur Park was taking in about $85,000 a week in protection payoffs alone. This is no graffiti crew, folks.

The self-styled Cycos "godfather' ran the operation from his prison cell, sending word to street lieutenants through his wife.

Right-thinking Californians ought to demand an immediate cleanup of the state's penal system, not more studies and foot- dragging. It's clear the state's once-feared maximum security prisons have become corporate headquarters for crime syndicates.

The only way to deal with a deadly viper is to cut off its head. That means severing La Eme's connection to the outside.

Since La Eme has set the bar, visits ought to be few, far between and videotaped.

As chronicled in our story, Azusa Police were able to trace the actions of gangs in that city and document ties to La Eme through prison wiretaps.

Again, La Eme's abuse of privileges should dictate the response. All calls to and from prisoners should be recorded.

State Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, whose Senate hearings exposed corruption in California's penal system, needs to investigate the connection between La Eme, prison guards and system administrators. Clearly La Eme and other prison gangs wouldn't be able to operate without the tacit OK of supposed watchdogs.

That collusion must end because La Eme, like all organized crime families, has tethers to legitimacy, laundering dirty money through legal investment and enterprises.

That's why RICO works so well against such criminal activity. But RICO is time consuming, tying up law enforcement that could be used in other crime investigations.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D- New York) and Senate Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch (R- Utah) have introduced legislation that could make gang prosecution easier without RICO by bringing much gang activity under the federal criminal umbrella. Overkill? We don't think so.

One of the better provisions of the proposed Criminal Street Gang Abatement Act would make gang recruitment against the law, punishable by up to 10 years in jail. Recruiting a minor would require a mandatory three-year sentence. Parents whose children have been lured to gangs ought to applaud and urge support for S.1735.

California Sen. Dianne Feinstein is co-sponsor of this needed legislation. The remainder of the state's congressional delegation and local lawmakers who have seem their districts decimated by gang crime must back this far-reaching proposal designed to put gangsters behind bars for a very long time; remove incentives for gang membership and treat gang activity for what it is well-organized and orchestrated crime.