Baldwin Park a.m. gang sweep nets 12 arrests

Jennifer McLain and Raul Roa took a ride with Baldwin Park police officers during an early morning raid of suspected gang members and taggers. Among the crews hit were North Side and East Side Bolen as well as KHA and MIK. Their criminal backgrounds included felony vandalism, grand theft and assault with a deadly weapon.

Apparently some of the gang members are involved in weird rituals. There were Oreo cookies sacrificed to statues of the Grim Reaper and tales of Brujo blessings that included cutting the head off a rooster to bless a cocaine stash:

Here's a bit of Jennifer's story:

BALDWIN PARK - Twelve people were arrested Thursday morning in sweep targeting the homes of 32 Baldwin Park area parolees, most of whom were juveniles, and some who had ties to local gangs.

Neither the fog nor the sun had risen yet as officers pounded the door of a 17-year-old parolee.

Around 5:45 a.m., five men shuffled out of the one-bedroom apartment next to the on-ramp of the 10 Freeway as Baldwin Park Police hunted for the teenager who was on probation for tagging and resisting arrest.

They sat, some shirtless, others sockless, and all shivering, on crates and the cold cement as police searched the house for the teen.

After a 15 minute search, cops found him hidden in the closet under a pile of clothes. Police also found two bongs, baggies of marijuana, a drug scale, two cans of empty spray bottles and a tagged bottle of Miller High Life.