| For Immediate Release
March 27, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
SIXTH ORANGE COUNTY GANG INJUNCTION SIGNEDAGAINST MEMBERS OF ORANGE CRIMINAL STREET GANG BARRING THEM FROM
TERRORIZING COMMUNITY
*This is the second injunction in the City of Orange, sixth in the County of Orange
SANTA ANA – A preliminary injunction was signed today by the Honorable Kazharu Makino against an Orange criminal street gang to enjoin its members from terrorizing their community and acting as a public nuisance. This is the sixth injunction in Orange County and the second to be signed in the City of Orange.
Between Feb. 25, 2009, and March 3, 2009, the gang injunctions were served to 108 individually named gang members, as well as to the parents of juveniles, by more than 80 police officers representing nine agencies throughout Orange County. The injunction was a cooperative effort between the Anaheim, Fullerton, Placentia, Orange, and Tustin Police Departments, Orange County District Attorney, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Orange County Probation Department, and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
WHAT IS AN INJUNCTION?
A gang injunction is a civil order that restricts or prohibits documented gang members from participating in specific acts or activities that may not be inherently criminal. The terms are designed to curb intimidating or harassing behavior. If an enjoined gang member violates the terms, he or she will be arrested and face prosecution. The case may be prosecuted as a felony if the violation was for the benefit of the criminal street gang or a misdemeanor for disobeying a court order. The defendant will be placed on gang probation terms or be sent to state prison for up to three years.
The defendants named in this injunction are known to be active participants in this Orange criminal street gang. Only the most active and well-documented gang members are enjoined. Each gang member has been documented by personal admission of affiliation, associating with known gang members, dressing in the style of the gang or having gang tattoos, possessing gang paraphernalia, and/or committing crimes for the benefit of the gang.
The terms of the second Orange gang injunction include a restriction that prohibits any association of the named defendants with any other named defendant of their gang. Association includes standing, sitting, walking, driving, bicycling, gathering, or appearing anywhere in public or public view with any known member of the gang. The terms also maintain that there can be no intimidation, use or sale of drugs, consuming alcohol in public, guns or dangerous weapons, fighting, trespassing, blocking free passage, graffiti or vandalism, gang hand signs, gang clothes, burglary tools, acting as a lookout, or littering. In addition, the defendants must obey curfew and all laws.