LONG BEACH -- The alleged leader and a key shot-caller for one of the city's oldest and most notorious gangs were formally charged Monday in connection with a dozen shootings, two of which resulted in murders.
Defendants Reyes Rios, 32, the alleged leader of the Eastside Longos, and Ruhani Bustamante, 28, were arrested during a series of raids carried out by Long Beach police with county, state and federal agencies last Thursday.
Rios and Bustamante have been linked to a dozen shootings, including two murders, in the last year, police and prosecutors said.
Both men appeared briefly at the Long Beach Superior Court for arraignment Monday afternoon, handcuffed and shackled to a row of inmates, many of them fellow ESL gang members picked up in the series of raids.
Both Rios and Bustamante agreed to waive time for their arraignments until June 1 and June 9, respectively.
A total of seven other alleged members or associates of the gang were arrested the same day as Rios and Bustamante and all were scheduled to be formally charged in court on Monday as well.
All have been tied to the same series of shootings that began last July and included the Oct. 26, 2009 killing of Esaul Villagrana, 23, and the Jan. 30, slaying of Jonathan Cordova, 18, both of Long Beach, police and prosecutors allege.
Those seven people are suspected of various crimes that led to or helped with the attacks, including evidence tampering and intimidating witnesses, police said.
Among the seven arrested by Long Beach Police Thursday was 34-year-old Lisa Sedillo of Long Beach, who also faces charges for the Dec. 1, 1992, murder of 19-year-old Long Beach resident Jason Bandel.
Sedillo was arrested years ago for Bandel's murder as a co-conspirator along with convicted triggerman Francisco Moreno, 20, of Long Beach.
Moreno is currently serving a life sentence for Bandel's death but Sedillo was never formally charged, Cox said.
Sedillo and the remaining six accused were still awaiting arraignment as of 2:30 p.m.
The other defendants are:
Delores Ruiz, 29, of Lakewood, destruction of evidence.
Maria Kanlilar, 28, of Long Beach, accessory to murder.
Juan Herrera, 32, of Long Beach, attempted murder and accessory to murder.
Jose Luis Cortez, 37, of Long Beach, accessory to murder.
Martha Arevalo, 39, of Long Beach, attempted murder.
Jesus Ramirez, 24, of Long Beach, witness intimidation.
Defendants Reyes Rios, 32, the alleged leader of the Eastside Longos, and Ruhani Bustamante, 28, were arrested during a series of raids carried out by Long Beach police with county, state and federal agencies last Thursday.
Rios and Bustamante have been linked to a dozen shootings, including two murders, in the last year, police and prosecutors said.
Both men appeared briefly at the Long Beach Superior Court for arraignment Monday afternoon, handcuffed and shackled to a row of inmates, many of them fellow ESL gang members picked up in the series of raids.
Both Rios and Bustamante agreed to waive time for their arraignments until June 1 and June 9, respectively.
A total of seven other alleged members or associates of the gang were arrested the same day as Rios and Bustamante and all were scheduled to be formally charged in court on Monday as well.
All have been tied to the same series of shootings that began last July and included the Oct. 26, 2009 killing of Esaul Villagrana, 23, and the Jan. 30, slaying of Jonathan Cordova, 18, both of Long Beach, police and prosecutors allege.
Those seven people are suspected of various crimes that led to or helped with the attacks, including evidence tampering and intimidating witnesses, police said.
Among the seven arrested by Long Beach Police Thursday was 34-year-old Lisa Sedillo of Long Beach, who also faces charges for the Dec. 1, 1992, murder of 19-year-old Long Beach resident Jason Bandel.
Sedillo was arrested years ago for Bandel's murder as a co-conspirator along with convicted triggerman Francisco Moreno, 20, of Long Beach.
Moreno is currently serving a life sentence for Bandel's death but Sedillo was never formally charged, Cox said.
Sedillo and the remaining six accused were still awaiting arraignment as of 2:30 p.m.
The other defendants are:
Delores Ruiz, 29, of Lakewood, destruction of evidence.
Maria Kanlilar, 28, of Long Beach, accessory to murder.
Juan Herrera, 32, of Long Beach, attempted murder and accessory to murder.
Jose Luis Cortez, 37, of Long Beach, accessory to murder.
Martha Arevalo, 39, of Long Beach, attempted murder.
Jesus Ramirez, 24, of Long Beach, witness intimidation.
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