For release on December 7, 2015
CONTACT:
Sandip Patel, Deputy District Attorney
Gangs Unit
(408) 808-3754 GRAND JURY INDICTS 21 SUSPECTS FOR OPERATING AN AUTO BURGLARY RING More than 20 members of a violent Oakland street gang have been charged with a string of sophisticated auto break-ins across the Bay Area. One of the defendants suspected in the serial burglaries was also charged with attempted murder for trying to run over a Santa Clara police officer who was trying to arrest him. Another defendant indicted in the case is already facing charges in San Francisco related to the robbery of a TV news crew. The defendants are alleged to be members or associates of the “Ghost Town Gang.” They have been charged with operating a ring that targeted cars over the last year throughout nine cities in the Bay Area, including San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain View. The indictment alleges that the group committed more than 50 auto burglaries. All 21 defendants face felony vehicular burglary charges with gang allegations that, if proven, could result in substantial state prison sentences. Charged with the attempted murder is 31-year-old Danny Garcia. The in-custody defendants are scheduled to be arraigned today at 1:30 p.m. in Department 24 at the Hall Of Justice. Said prosecutor Sandip Patel: “What’s exceptional here is the brazenness of their scheme and the scope of the conduct involved – there’s hardly a city in the entire Bay Area that this group didn’t hit.” The criminal grand jury considered allegations that the gang members would rent cars to scout parking lots in shopping malls, such as the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto and McCarthy Ranch in Milpitas. There, they would use small groups to target cars to break into, typically looking for iPads, iPhones, laptops, and other electronic devices that can be easily re-sold. The grand jury considered allegations that the gang members stole hundreds of such devices during their crime spree. This case was investigated through the coordination of several Bay Area law enforcement agencies, including: police department detectives from Fremont, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas , Los Altos, East Bay Regional Parks, Pinole, San Mateo, San Francisco and Oakland. List of In-Custody Suspects as of December 7, 2015:
1. Steven Espadron, 32
2. Jawon Finch, 30
3. Danny Garcia, 31
4. Joey Haines, 31
5. Michael Jones, 23
6. Ricky Joseph, 27
7. Deante Menefee, 27
8. Eddie Nute, 21 9.Andrew Peacock, 28
10. Sitteruiet Taylor, 36
11. Lamont Williams, 26
12. Exrill Wilson, 32
# # #
CONTACT:
Sandip Patel, Deputy District Attorney
Gangs Unit
(408) 808-3754 GRAND JURY INDICTS 21 SUSPECTS FOR OPERATING AN AUTO BURGLARY RING More than 20 members of a violent Oakland street gang have been charged with a string of sophisticated auto break-ins across the Bay Area. One of the defendants suspected in the serial burglaries was also charged with attempted murder for trying to run over a Santa Clara police officer who was trying to arrest him. Another defendant indicted in the case is already facing charges in San Francisco related to the robbery of a TV news crew. The defendants are alleged to be members or associates of the “Ghost Town Gang.” They have been charged with operating a ring that targeted cars over the last year throughout nine cities in the Bay Area, including San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Los Altos, and Mountain View. The indictment alleges that the group committed more than 50 auto burglaries. All 21 defendants face felony vehicular burglary charges with gang allegations that, if proven, could result in substantial state prison sentences. Charged with the attempted murder is 31-year-old Danny Garcia. The in-custody defendants are scheduled to be arraigned today at 1:30 p.m. in Department 24 at the Hall Of Justice. Said prosecutor Sandip Patel: “What’s exceptional here is the brazenness of their scheme and the scope of the conduct involved – there’s hardly a city in the entire Bay Area that this group didn’t hit.” The criminal grand jury considered allegations that the gang members would rent cars to scout parking lots in shopping malls, such as the Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto and McCarthy Ranch in Milpitas. There, they would use small groups to target cars to break into, typically looking for iPads, iPhones, laptops, and other electronic devices that can be easily re-sold. The grand jury considered allegations that the gang members stole hundreds of such devices during their crime spree. This case was investigated through the coordination of several Bay Area law enforcement agencies, including: police department detectives from Fremont, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Milpitas , Los Altos, East Bay Regional Parks, Pinole, San Mateo, San Francisco and Oakland. List of In-Custody Suspects as of December 7, 2015:
1. Steven Espadron, 32
2. Jawon Finch, 30
3. Danny Garcia, 31
4. Joey Haines, 31
5. Michael Jones, 23
6. Ricky Joseph, 27
7. Deante Menefee, 27
8. Eddie Nute, 21 9.Andrew Peacock, 28
10. Sitteruiet Taylor, 36
11. Lamont Williams, 26
12. Exrill Wilson, 32
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