A 50-year-old Long Beach woman is among 13 accused Mexican Mafia members who have been charged with running a drug smuggling ring at the Los Angeles County Jail, authorities said. The group was also accused of assaulting an inmate.
Estela Guerrero, 50, was taken into custody Thursday at her Long Beach home, authorities announced Friday. They did not say exactly what role she is accused of playing in the crimes or what charges she is facing. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for further information. She remains jailed in lieu of $165,000 bail, court records show.
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Authorities said the investigation began in February 2022, when members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau and FBI’s San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets, were notified of a violent attack on an inmate by members of the Mexican Mafia.
A Mexican Mafia “facilitator,” according to authorities, ordered his associates in Los Angeles County Jail, known as “soldiers” or “sureños” to assault the inmate, who’d falsely claimed to be a member of the gang — an act considered to be a serious violation to the criminal organization. The soldiers then attacked the inmate, who was hospitalized in the aftermath, according to the FBI.
During the investigation, FBI investigators also became aware that members of the Mexican Mafia were involved in a drug smuggling operation inside the jail, authorities said.
“The narcotics smuggling and violent assault are alleged to have been coordinated by several high-ranking associates of the Mexican Mafia from outside of the jail under the authority of a Mexican Mafia member in state prison,” according to a statement from the FBI, which went on to say that the drugs were being sold to other inmates for the collection of Mexican Mafia proceeds.
In addition to Guerrero, authorities took Rosa Christina Martinez, 35, of Compton, and Daniel Arochi-Gonzalez, 24, of Carson into custody this week in connection to the crimes. Pharoah Brooks, 47; Jessie Quintero, 44; Jackie Triplett, 40; Daniel Garcia, 37; Jose Martinez, 36; Angel Grajales, 33; Andy Dominguez, 30; and David Fraysure, were already jailed on unrelated charges when authorities identified them as suspects in the assault and drug smuggling ring.
Marco Lujan, 47, and Ariel Pereyra, 28, are still being sought by law enforcement, according to the FBI.
Anyone with more information about their whereabouts is asked to call their nearest FBI office or U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The FBI Los Angeles office can be reached at 310-477-6565.