L.A. Anti-Gang Activist Charged With Racketeering and Conspiracy
June 25, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
A prominent anti-gang activist was arrested yesterday on federal racketeering charges in response to allegations of his continuing involvement in murder, extortion, drug trafficking, and other crimes, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Alex Sanchez, 37, a former member of the notorious U.S.-El Salvador gang Mara Salvatrucha, renounced his past in the 1990s and won national acclaim and political support as executive director of the nonprofit group Homies Unidos, which publicly works to stem violence and help those trying to escape gang life.
The federal indictment identifies Mr. Sanchez as a “shot caller,” or gang leader, who allegedly conspired with Mara Salvatrucha members in numerous crimes over a 15-year period. Daniel McMullen, a Los Angeles FBI official, said the suspect “used the guise of a reformist” to solicit funds from “well-intentioned donors” while maintaining his criminal life.
The Homies Unidos board issued a statement of support for Mr. Sanchez, saying its members were “confident in Alex’s innocence.”
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