Gang detectives sought 14 suspects in April as part of a series of raids targeting what they referred to as a “generational gang” that deputies say has terrorized the area for decades.
Investigators often stay silent on evidence until they’re in court, and this case was no exception.
Despite more than a half-dozen arrests, only one case has come from the warrants so far, according to L.A. County Superior Court records.
But a detective did say Thursday he’s still waiting for a lot of evidence from the crime lab, and it sounds like more cases could be coming.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Juvenile and Gangs Detective James Van Horn said a wait of six months for the processing of evidence isn’t uncommon, even on priority cases.
“There was evidence collected that may or may not be related to other cases, and that evidence is still being processed,” Van Horn said, confirming the arrests did result in the filing of a drug-possession charge so far.
A drug-possession charge appears to be the only case presented to the District Attorney’s Office that’s made it to L.A. County Superior Court from the April search warrants so far.
But that’s among the lesser crimes alleged against the gang.
“In the past two years, Newhall 13 has been identified and involved in numerous violent crimes in which firearms were utilized, and in one incident striking an innocent victim in the midst of a gun battle,” according to an affidavit seeking to search more than a dozen homes.
The warrant also accuses the group of facilitating the sale of narcotics to minors.
Detectives’ statements that have to indicate probable cause for a search alleged the suspects posted photos of themselves flashing gang signs and brandishing firearms that detectives sought to collect and are now testing for links to possible crimes.
The addresses raided focused primarily around Newhall Avenue and Walnut Street in Newhall, as well as a couple of addresses in Canyon Country and one on Hasley Canyon Road in Castaic.
To show probable cause for their search warrants, detectives started by gathering social media posts showing the suspects flashing gang signs and weapons on a variety of Instagram accounts they linked to gang members with identifying details from their posts.
The posts date back to March 2023, after a double murder on Valle Del Oro left two dead from gunfire that happened on a Saturday morning at a community pool in front of children. A preliminary hearing in that case is scheduled for next month, if the witnesses can be located.
Cases, suspects
Court records indicated what Van Horn was alluding to: the seizure of BB guns, New York Yankees gear the gang wears for its “N,” DNA samples, graffiti samples, smartphones, drugs and weapons could all indicate there are more cases coming.
Deputies also reported seizing two 10-gram bags of what they suspected to be cocaine, as well as a bag suspected to contain methamphetamine.
Following the raids, two suspects ended up in court, although one already had an active case.
Alejandro Trujillo, 18, of Newhall, was arrested on suspicion of an assault of another student on Hart High’s campus in January.
Court records in the search warrant indicate he assaulted another student who he felt disrespected him and he forced the student to apologize, in an incident that was recorded on phone cameras.
He pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor battery on school grounds.
Trujillo was offered diversion, providing he graduated high school and submitted a written apology. Trujillo’s Bowman High School diploma and mea culpa letter were in his file.
Deseree Anette Martinez, 22, of Newhall, was arrested in the April 17 raid and is identified as the wife of a “shot-caller” for the gang.
L.A. County Superior Court records indicated Martinez was facing one misdemeanor charge.
The oldest suspect in a group of 14 targeted by the raid was 28 years old, and the youngest was a pair of 15-year-olds identified also by their monikers, “Avenues” and “Baby Gangster.” Five suspects were under the age of 18.
