Early Wednesday morning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted several raids targeting members of the Westside Wilmas, a South Bay gang based in Wilmington, Los Angeles. Seven reputed gang members were arrested while a string of successful operations yielded 23 firearms, one kilogram of cocaine, 26.2 pounds of methamphetamine, over 23,000 fentanyl pills, and 2.4 kilograms of powdered fentanyl. These accused members are now facing federal charges including distribution of controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. The federal authorities also charged them for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
It has been alleged that both Eastside and Westside Wilmas commit crimes under the direction of a California prison gang, the Mexican Mafia, which supervises Latino street gangs across Southern California. As per authorities, the Wilmas gangs are the Mafia’s aspect of criminal activities based in Wilmington. Mexican Mafia leaders run and manage these gangs and conduct their activities from the state prison system, utilizing unauthorized phones and other digital devices.
The Department of Justice has exposed that the Wilmas gangs are controlled by separate members of the Mexican Mafia, who are each serving a life sentence after being indicted of murder. Law enforcement believes that one of the Mexican Mafia associates is directing firearm and drug sales from prison, despite being sentenced to death for murder. Specifically, the complaint affidavit points to Patricia Amelia Limon of Lomita as a reputed associate of the Wilmas and Mexican Mafia. From October 2022 to February 2023, Patricia engaged in seven drug and firearm deals, according to the DOJ.
The affidavit alleges that in one illegal deal on Nov. 2, Patricia traded around 5,000 rainbow-colored fentanyl pills to a buyer for $5,300, while on the other hand, she sold 3.8 pounds of methamphetamine and 2,000 fentanyl pills for $5,000 on Nov. 17. The authorities further claimed that Limon was engaged in other related illicit sales of fentanyl and firearms. As per the DOJ, if convicted, Limon will face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
Another reputed high-ranking member of Westside Wilmas gang is Jesus Chuy Delgado of San Pedro. The complaint affidavit also alleges that Delgado sold methamphetamine and firearms multiple times across the street from a high school and middle school in San Pedro while being on parole. Notably, he sold firearms that didn’t have a serial number and were commonly known as ghost guns. At the same time, he continued to sell 1.95 pounds of methamphetamine, as per the DOJ. If convicted, Delgado also faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
In a statement released by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department, it was made clear that Fernando Fabio Nava, Iliana Zepeda, and Ramon Gonzalez Jr. remain at large, and the authorities have declared them fugitives. These individuals pose a considerable threat to public safety and hence need to be apprehended immediately. The FBI has requested that any information about their whereabouts be reported to the local field office.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched several raids on Wednesday targeting reputed members of the Westside Wilmas, a South Bay gang based in Wilmington, Los Angeles. Seven alleged gang members were taken into custody, and the investigation yielded a significant stockpile of drugs and guns. Among the items seized were 23 firearms, 26.2 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 23,000 fentanyl pills, 2.4 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, and one kilogram of cocaine.
The raids were conducted as part of an effort to target members of the Mexican Mafia, a California prison gang that oversaw a significant portion of the crime in Southern California. According to the DOJ, the Mexican Mafia directed the activities of the Wilmas gangs, which controlled crime in Wilmington from the state prison system through illicit phones and other digital devices.
According to law enforcement officials, the Wilmas gangs were controlled by separate Mexican Mafia members, each of whom was serving a life sentence in a California state prison for murder. One of these Mexican Mafia associates was still directing drug sales from prison, despite being sentenced to death for murder, officials allege.
The affidavit filed in connection with the case specifically mentioned Patricia Amelia Limon as a reputed associate of the Mexican Mafia and the Wilmas. The DOJ has accused Limon of engaging in seven drug and firearm deals between October 2022 and February 2023. In one of the deals, Limon is alleged to have sold 5,000 rainbow-colored fentanyl pills to a buyer for $5,300. In another, she reportedly supplied 3.8 pounds of methamphetamine and 2,000 fentanyl pills to a buyer for $5,000.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department announced on Wednesday that seven suspected South Bay gang members had been taken into custody as part of an investigation targeting members of the Westside Wilmas, a gang based in LA’s Harbor region. The authorities emphasized that the investigation was specifically aimed at the Wilmas gang, which was alleged to be operating under the direction of the Mexican Mafia, a California prison gang that controlled various Latino street gangs in Southern California.
According to the DOJ, members of the Mexican Mafia controlled the activities of the Wilmas gangs, which reportedly committed various crimes throughout Wilmington. The DOJ alleged that Mexican Mafia leaders directed the Wilmas gangs’ activities from within the state prison system using illicit phones and other digital devices.
Officials noted that the Mexican Mafia members running the Wilmas gangs were each serving a life sentence in a California state prison for murder. Despite their incarceration, the Mexican Mafia associates were reportedly continuing to direct drug and firearm sales from inside the prison. One of the alleged Mexican Mafia associates, specifically named in the complaint affidavit, was Patricia Amelia Limon of Lomita.
Limon is accused of engaging in seven drug and firearm deals between October 2022 and February 2023 and of collecting money on behalf of another Mexican Mafia member. In one of the deals, Limon allegedly sold 5,000 rainbow-colored fentanyl pills to a buyer for $5,300.
Another reputed member of the gang, Jesus Chuy Delgado, was alleged to have sold methamphetamine and firearms while on parole. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Delgado sold firearms lacking a serial number, known as ghost guns, and 1.95 pounds of methamphetamine while on parole. If convicted, both Limon and Delgado face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, according to the DOJ.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department announced on Wednesday that they had conducted a series of raids targeting members of the Westside Wilmas, a South Bay gang based in Los Angeles. The raids resulted in the arrest of seven suspected gang members, according to authorities. The authorities also seized a cache of drugs and guns, including 23 firearms, 26.2 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 23,000 fentanyl pills, 2.4 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, and one kilogram of cocaine. The arrested members face federal charges including possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of controlled substances.