A federal indictment has charged 68 alleged members of the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, a California-based white supremacist street gang, with drug trafficking, weapons violations, and COVID-19 loan fraud. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday and includes a total of 76 counts. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated that the gang’s criminal enterprise has been dealt a significant blow with these charges. According to Garland, the gang has been involved in trafficking deadly fentanyl and other drugs, committing robberies, and perpetrating financial fraud to fund their activities as well as those of the Aryan Brotherhood.
The indicted gang members are said to have made money through identity theft schemes and financial fraud, including filing bogus applications for Paycheck Protection Program funds for individuals who were incarcerated. The criminal activities of the gang trace back to at least December 2016, as detailed in the indictment. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement officers have seized illegal firearms and significant amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin associated with the gang.
The Peckerwoods have been reported to take orders from the Aryan Brotherhood, California’s main white supremacist gang based in prisons, and also have an alliance with the Mexican Mafia, which controls numerous Latino street gangs in the Golden State. The indictment alleges that the gang has used social media to share information and target individuals who have violated their rules. If convicted, the defendants could face up to life in prison for their involvement in the criminal activities associated with the group.
The charges brought against the 68 alleged members of the white supremacist gang include drug trafficking, weapons violations, and COVID-19 loan fraud, as stated in a federal indictment. The indictment, which includes 76 counts, was unveiled on Wednesday, describing the gang’s criminal activities that involve trafficking fentanyl and other drugs, committing robberies, and engaging in financial fraud to support their enterprise and that of the Aryan Brotherhood. This indictment is seen as a significant blow to the gang’s years-long criminal operations.
Law enforcement officers have confiscated illegal firearms and substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin during the course of the investigation, as detailed in the court filing. The gang, known as the San Fernando Valley Peckerwoods, is said to have been involved in identity theft schemes and financial fraud, including fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program funds for individuals in prison. The criminal activities of the gang have been ongoing since at least December 2016, according to the indictment.
The Peckerwoods have been reported to have connections with the Aryan Brotherhood, California’s primary white supremacist group based in prison, and an alliance with the Mexican Mafia, which controls various Latino street gangs in California. The indictment also alleges that the gang uses social media platforms to share information and target individuals who violate their rules. If found guilty, the defendants could face a life sentence in prison for their involvement in the criminal activities linked to the gang. The charges brought against the gang are part of an effort to dismantle their criminal enterprise and hold them accountable for their involvement in drug trafficking, weapons violations, and financial fraud.
