FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 13, 2007
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/CAC
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CONTACT: THOM MROZEK
PHONE: (213) 894-6947
FAX: (213) 894-5377
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OWNER OF NUMERO UNO MARKETS
ARRESTED ON FEDERAL RACKETEERING INDICTMENT
THAT ALLEGES MURDERS, CORRUPTION AND HARBORING OF ILLEGAL ALIENS
The owner of the Los Angeles-based Numero
Uno supermarket chain, his brother and two associates alleged to be part
of a racketeering conspiracy have been taken into custody during a two-day
operation that also resulted in the seizure of approximately $1.25 million
in cash and more than 60 vehicles.
The supermarket owner, George Torres, was
arrested yesterday at his Arcadia residence without incident. George Torres,
50, was in United States District Court this afternoon, making his first
court appearance, at which time he was ordered held without bond pending
another court appearance next Wednesday. George Torres is accused in an
indictment with providing an associate with a handgun and instructing
him to murder a gang member who had killed a security guard at a Numero
Uno store, among other criminal acts.
The 59-count indictment outlines a wide
swath of criminal conduct allegedly committed by a criminal enterprise
headed by George Torres. Those offenses include murder, solicitation of
murder, bribery of a public official, harboring illegal aliens and tax
violations.
According to the indictment, Torres and
his brother ordered various murders and assaults to maintain control of
the criminal enterprise. The murders allegedly ordered by Torres include
a fatal drive-by shooting of a Primera Flats Street gang member in May
1993, which was ordered in retaliation for the death of a Numero Uno security
guard. The indictment also alleges that George Torres ordered the February
1994 murder of a gang member who demanded a "tax" from a Numero
Uno Market and the murder of a former employee who allegedly stole $500,000
from a Numero Uno Market.
The indictment, which accuses a total of
eight defendants of violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt
Organizations Act (RICO), was unsealed today and announced by George S.
Cardona, Acting United States Attorney in Los Angeles; J. Stephen Tidwell,
Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles; Timothy J. Landrum,
Special Agent in Charge of the DEA in Los Angeles; and Debra D. King,
Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation.
According to the indictment, George Torres
currently owns 11 markets in the greater Los Angeles area and, to expand
his business, allegedly exercised strict control of his organization and
associates, intimidated and murdered potential witnesses against the enterprise,
and used the markets to facilitate fraud and tax violations.
George Torres and his brother were arrested
yesterday morning. Six additional members or associates of the Torres
enterprise named in the indictment have been arrested or have agreed to
surrender themselves tomorrow morning to federal authorities. The defendants
charged in the indictment are:
- George Torres, who is charged with racketeering,
conspiring to violate RICO, violent crime in aid of racketeering (VICAR),
"honest services" mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to harbor
illegal aliens;
- Manuel Torres-Ramos, 53, of Arcadia,
George Torres's brother, who was also arrested yesterday and is charged
with racketeering, conspiring to violate RICO and conspiracy to harbor
illegal aliens;
- Steven Torres, 26, of Downey, who is
George Torres' son and is charged with VICAR, has agreed to surrender
tomorrow;
- George Luk, 58, of Beverly Hills, a member
of the Los Angeles Convention and Exhibition Center Authority Commission,
who is charged in the RICO conspiracy and five counts of "honest
services" mail and wire fraud, was arrested this morning;
- Steve Carmona, 39, of Pico Rivera, a
former commissioner with the Los Angeles Central Area Planning Commission,
who is charged in the RICO conspiracy and five counts of "honest
services" mail and wire fraud as well as one count of loan fraud,
was arrested this morning;
- Gloria Mejia, 57, of Montebello, who
is charged with conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, has agreed to surrender
tomorrow;
- Mario Solano Garcia, 52, of Los Angeles,
who is charged in the RICO conspiracy, has agreed to surrender tomorrow;
and
- Carlos Monterroso, 51, of South Gate,
who is charged in the RICO conspiracy, has also agreed to surrender
tomorrow.
In addition to the arrests yesterday and
today, law enforcement authorities executed five search warrants at residences,
Numero Uno markets and warehouses.
The indictment alleges that Torres was using
his business, Numero Uno Markets, as a corrupt organization, and that
he used the assistance of public officialsincluding former Los Angeles
Area Planning Commissioner Carmona and current Los Angeles Convention
and Exhibition Center Authority Commissioner Luk - to obtain valuable
licenses and permits for Torres' businesses in return for monetary kickbacks
and lavish gifts.
"The greed of these criminals has infiltrated
our communities and businesses, bringing violence to our streets,"
said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Landrum. "Those arrested
in this investigation are part of an organization that has brought crime,
violence and drugs to our street corners in order to bolster their personal
wealth. These recent enforcement events show that the continued cooperative
efforts between federal, state, and local law enforcement result in criminals
at every level of society being brought to justice."
"Corruption, fueled by drug trafficking
and murder, penetrates all levels of our society, as exemplified by Torres'
alleged use of public officials in attaining wealth for himself and in
furtherance of his criminal enterprise," said J. Stephen Tidwell,
Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI in Los Angeles. "This case
was unique in that multiple agencies penetrated separate facets of the
Torres criminal enterprise, including narcotics and corruption, and worked
together to gather evidence against Mr. Torres and his associates. The
FBI and our partners are clearly committed to exposing public officials
who offer privilege to those engaging in criminal activity in exchange
for personal gain, at the expense of deserving honest citizens"
The indictment specifically charges the
Torres brothers with racketeering activity, a crime that, as charged,
carries a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison. he Torres brothers,
along with Carmona, Luk, Garcia and Monterrosso, are also charged with
conspiring to violate RICO.
George Torres and Steve Torres are also
charged in one VICAR count, and Steve Torres is charged in another VICAR
count. Both VICAR counts carry a maximum statutory sentence of three years
in prison
George Torres, Carmona and Luk are each
named in six counts of honest services mail and wire fraud, a charge that
carries a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison.
The Torres brothers, along with Mejia, are
also charged with conspiring to harbor illegal aliens, a count that carries
a sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each alien in respect to whom
the violation was committed.
Carmona is charged with loan fraud, a charge
that carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
George Torres and Mejia are also charged
with conspiring to defraud the government by failing to file payroll taxes.
And George Torres is named in 55 counts of failing to pay federal income
tax on behalf of employees.
Debra D. King, Special Agent in Charge of
IRS-Criminal Investigation in Los Angeles, stated: "George Torres'
indictment on RICO related charges including violent crime and conspiracy,
as well as immigration-related counts, mail and wire fraud, employment
tax charges, and criminal forfeiture, is indicative of the success of
a multi-agency task force approach in the investigation of criminal organizations.
The indictment and arrest of Torres, as well as the substantial criminal
forfeiture count included in the indictment, bring to a close a long-term
investigation into his criminal activity and serve to disrupt and dismantle
Torres' criminal organization."
The indictment also contains forfeiture
allegations. The United States Marshals Service is in the process of seizing
the Numero Uno supermarkets and other assets owned by Torres.
California Department of Justice, Bureau
of Narcotic Enforcement, Special Agent in Charge William Telish stated:
"The arrests of George Torres and his associates have resulted in
a severe disruption to a multi-faceted criminal organization responsible
for murder, racketeering, extortion and other felonious crimes. The eradication
of this criminal conspiracy will improve the quality of life for numerous
Californians."
An indictment contains allegations that
a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent
until proven guilty in court.
This case is the result of a multi-faceted
investigation by HIDTA, the High-Intensity Drug Task Force Area. Multiple
agencies have been involved in the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement
Administration; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; IRS-Criminal Investigation
Division; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms and Explosives; the Los Angeles Police Department;
the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; the Baldwin Park Police Department;
the Azusa Police Department; the Bell Police Department; the Bell Gardens
Police Department; the United States Marshals Service; and the California
Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.
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