PICO RIVERA — Deputies arrested seven people early Wednesday during a sweep targeting a violent street gang believed to be responsible for three shooting this month, authorities said.
In response to the violence, which has left two men wounded and one man dead, gang investigators headed out in force to do probation compliance checks on known gang members, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Bailey said.
“The reason for this operation was because we’ve had several shootings in the month of October involving the Pico Viejo gang,” he said.
Five men and two women were arrested in the operation, in which deputies visited six homes within the city of Pico Rivera, officials said.
Charges ranged from being under the influence of drugs and possession of graffiti tools to assault with a deadly weapon, officials said.
One of the suspects nabbed in Wednesday’s sweep, 21-year-old Adam Avalos of El Monte, is suspected in an Oct. 5 shooting at a Pico Rivera Wal-Mart store in which a member of the rival street gang Pico Nuevo was wounded while loading groceries into his car, Bailey said. A second teenage suspect had been identified and is also being sought in connection with the shooting.
Also arrested were: Sandra Robledo, 50, on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs and violating probation; her son, Manuel Robledo, 24, on suspicion of possession of marijuana; Oscar Oporto, 39, due to an outstanding narcotics warrant; Desiree Garcia, 30, on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs; Cresencio Garcia, 50, on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs; and Steven Alvarado, 18, on suspicion of possessing graffiti and vandalism tools, officials said.
Four of the suspects were arrested at the Lancer Motel, 4335 Rosemead Blvd., Bailey said.
Juan Z. Gutierrez, 33, of Whittier was shot to death as he rode his bicycle early Tuesday near Harrell Street and Layman Avenue, according to coroner’s officials.
He was believed to be a gang member, and the shooting was believed to be gang related, investigators said.
No arrests have been made Thursday, and Sgt. Barry Hall of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau said detectives were left with very few clues to follow in the case.
In another gang-related attack attributed to the Pico Viejo gang, a member of the rival Pico Nuevo gang was shot and wounded Oct. 2 at a gas station at Beverly and Rosemead boulevards, authorities said. The suspect or suspects remained at large.
While there is much work yet to be done to combat Pico Viejo and other criminal street gangs in the city, “We definitely made some good gains.”