13 members of a Watts street gang have been indicted on charges they ran a PCP drug ring in Southern California over a six-month period.Two indictments, returned by a grand jury last week, charge 13 people who authorities said belong to the Grape Street Crips, considered by police to be one of the city's most dangerous gangs.
U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey was joined by Los Angeles police Chief William Bratton and other law enforcement officials to announce the indictments.
Those charged are accused of either conspiring to manufacture or sell phencyclidine, commonly known as PCP, between September 2006 and April 2007. The ring produced 54 kilograms of PCP worth an estimated $1 million as well as 40 gallons of the toxic chemicals used to make the drug, prosecutors said.Four of the defendants were expected to make their initial court appearances later Wednesday. Prosecutors said nine people have been arrested, while the other four were being sought.
Mukasey fielded questions from reporters and community members, some of whom suggested the federal government was too distracted by the war in Iraq and terrorism to effectively fight gang violence.Mukasey snapped back, calling domestic crime a high priority — but one that did not overshadow terror threats.
"More attention can always be paid to things that are hurting people and things that are killing people. And we're here to try to pay effective attention to that," Mukasey said.While police statistics show that gang-related violence is down this year in Los Angeles, there has been a recent spate of homicides over the past two months. Among those who have been killed by suspected gang members are a 17-year-old high school running back and a man who was holding a toddler.