More than 1,400 street gangs exist in Los Angeles County and authorities continue to put heavy emphasis on arresting and prosecuting alleged gang members. The L.A. County sheriff’s department reports about half of all homicides involve street gangs, averaging more than 250 deaths per year.
In particular, the Street Terrorism Enforcement Prevention Act (STEP) — patterned after the Racketeer Influences and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) used to prosecute organized crime – increases the penalty for certain gang crimes, forces convicted gang members to register with authorities, and permits the seizure of assets associated with gang activity.
Additionally, a number of special units have been established by law enforcement and the district attorney’s office to specifically target gang activity. These units rely on arrests and results for state and federal funding and instances of overzealous or unethical arrests and prosecutions continue to surface.
Hiring the Law Office of Albert Perez Jr for defending clients against alleged gang activity can be critical to the outcome of your case. We will zealously defend you against such charges; by fighting to have the charges disassociated with gang activity, challenging evidence in court, seeking an acceptable plea agreement with prosecutors, or building your case for trial.
