01/24/2013
Suspect Jeffrey Aguilar (black colored shirt)
Suspect Efren Marquez (White T-shirt)
Two adult male suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in a series of hate crimes directed towards an African American family of adults and one minor child in Compton.
The victim family had recently moved into a home on 153rd Street in Compton when one of the family members was attacked on Dec. 31, 2012. As a result, detectives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Operation Safe Streets Bureau (gang investigators) served search warrants at 11 locations early Thursday morning In Compton (9), Gardena (1) and Rialto (1).
Additionally on Thursday, January 24th, while executing a search warrant at one of the locations in Compton, sheriff's deputies were attempting to detain a male Hispanic teen who is an alleged gang member. During his detention, the subject fought with deputies and attempted to forcefully remove a deputy's gun from his holster. He was prevented from doing so by assisting deputies. He was booked at a local juvenile detention facility for assault on a police officer. He was one of a total of three suspects who were arrested.
The series of events reportedly began on December 31st, 2012, one of the male victims was walking home in Compton. He was approached by a black SUV occupied by four Hispanic male suspects.
The men identified themselves as members of a local street gang and told the victim that he and his family were not allowed to live in the area because they are Black. The gang members continually shouted racial epithets and threats of violence towards the victim. Fearing for his life, the victim ran home but was chased by the gang members who exited the vehicle and began beating the victim with metal pipes.
One of the suspects, 21-year-old Suspect Efren Marquez, allegedly pointed a gun at the victim and threatened to shoot him while he was allegedly being beaten with a metal pipe by 19-year-old Suspect Jeffrey Aguilar.
After the attack, the gang members fled in the vehicle. Marquez and Aguilar returned 30 minutes later with a group of 15-20 gang members, who surrounded the front of the victims' home shouting racial epithets and telling them that members of the African American race (using the 'n-word') were not allowed to live in the neighborhood. One unidentified member of the group threw a large beer bottle through the front living room window, shattering the window. Both Suspect Marquez and Aguilar were reportedly armed with handguns.
The suspects continued to drive by the home several times a day, shouting racial epithets while ordering the family to leave the neighborhood.
Suspects Aguilar and Marquez were arrested Thursday, booked at Compton Sheriff's Station (http://www.Compton.lasd.org), and charged with a Hate Crime Committed for the Purpose of Violation of Civil Rights with Ability to Commit Violent Injury on Another (422 CA Penal Code, and are being held in lieu of $95,000 bail. Aguilar is a resident of Compton and marquez is a resident of Riverside County.
Sheriff's Operation Safe Streets (http://www.OSS.lasd.org ) investigation is ongoing in an effort to identify others involved in this crime.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sheriff's Operation Safe Streets Bureau gang investigators at (310)603-3100 or the Compton Sheriff's Station at (310)605-6500.
If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
Captain Mike Parker
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
(323) 267-4800
http://www.lasd.org
SHBNewsroom@lasd.org
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Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff's station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call "LA Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
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Jeffrey Aguilar
Efren Marquez
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