# Raids 'cripple' Latin Kings - 16 members arrested



## tomahawk

Clip below from today's Lowell Sun; full article is online here:

http://www.lowellsun.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,105%7E4761%7E1978504,00.html

-Mike



> *Latin Kings 'crippled'
> Eighteen-month gang probe nets arrests in Lowell and Lawrence*
> 
> _By TOM SPOTH and JACK MINCH
> Sun Staff_
> 
> Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - An 18-month probe called Operation Dethrone struck at the throat of one of the state's largest street gangs when federal and state investigators arrested many of its ranking members during coordinated raids at dawn yesterday, according to police.
> 
> Three alleged members of the Latin Kings notorious for their drug dealing and violence toward enemies were arrested in Lowell and indicted on federal drug charges. They are: Giecliff "King Bear" Rodriguez, 25, of 19 Fifth St., second floor; Onix "King Onyx" Figueroa, 28, of 80 Fourth St.; and Carmelo "King Carmelo" Rodriguez, 20, of 750 Merrimack St., Unit 3.
> 
> Thirteen other alleged Latin Kings members were captured yesterday in other area communities, primarily in Lawrence. Two suspected Kings eluded police and remain at large. Lowell and Lawrence police worked closely together, and with the FBI and other organizations, to track down and build a case against gang members.
> 
> "The gang (is) crippled," Lowell police Sgt. James Trudel said. "It will take them a significant amount of time to regroup."
> 
> Giecliff Rodriguez was the most powerful Latin King arrested, police said. As minister of defense for the Massachusetts chapter, he is one of the state's highest-ranking officers, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Boston.


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## PearlOnyx

It's good to hear that we are doing some good work on this group. There was quite the recruiting drive being done this past year here on the North Shore. The presence is definatley growing inside the jails as well. Just from personal experience, I have found that the Kings are one of the more violent and disruptive of the local groups.


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## Guest

are they gonna try and get them with rico ?


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## CEC

they were booked fairly quickly and shipped to BOSTON FEDERAL court!! they are looking @ some serious times @ the very least 10yrs!!


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## MVS

Excellent!


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## SGT_GRUNT_USMC

Some of the most violent skinny little a**holes in the state......But you can rest assured they WILL be catered to and coddled to in our great state prison system.

Semper Fi,


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## SRRerg

Two years ago I took part in a raid up in Lowell that "crippled" the Latin Kings and numerous drug dealers - now their back.....somebody beter tell Christopher Reeve, the Latin kings have found a cure. :evil:


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## Foxracingmtnridr

I watched a show on HBO once about the Latin Kings In NYC and they were trying to play it off as if they were saviors for the community. Then the leader got locked up on a murder charge. Most of the time all these gans are is a bunch of stupid kids that think they are thugs because they beat some other kid up that's how they multiply so fast. Put them all on an isolated island somehwere and let them kill eachother. Put them there with Bloods and Crips too. Then go back in like a month and see howmany of them are still there. Once again just my :2c: 

Scott c:


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