Puente 13

Puente 13
Founded1953; 71 years ago (1953)
Founding locationLa Puente, California, United States
Years activeever since 1953
TerritorySan Gabriel Valley
EthnicityMexican American
Membership (est.)100 - 1000(including affiliates)[1]
ActivitiesDrug trafficking, fraud, murder, assault
AlliesMexican Mafia[2]
Sureños[3]
RivalsAzusa 13,[4] Townsmen 13[5]

Puente 13 (P13[6]) is a street gang in La Puente, California. They are Sureños.[7][8] They are described as Mafia related[9] or Mexican mafia related.[10] They were formed c. 1953 as the Bridgetown Gentlemen (puente is Spanish "bridge"),[10] or "Old Town Puente". Then they dropped the "Old Town", later adding the "-13" that signifies allegiance to the Mexican Mafia.[11][better source needed] [6] The gang is known for its violent criminal activities, drug smuggling and illicit contributions to the Mexican Mafia.

Territory

Puente 13 claims the entire city and is one of the many gangs in the San Gabriel Valley. [12][failed verification]

Notable events

2013: Two carnals (leaders) of the gang taken down.[8]

2018: 17 people were indicted on identity theft charges and charges relating to supplying methamphetamine, including to the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, after an investigation into the gang led by the DEA and the USSS.[9]

References

  1. ^ After a spate of gang violence in La Puente, authorities seek to quell residents’ concerns Jonah Valdez, San Gabriel Valley Tribune (January 10, 2020)
  2. ^ Brothers Who Led Mexican Mafia-Backed Puente-13 Street Gang Sentenced To Life In Prison As Result Of Federal Racketeering Case justice.gov (March 6, 2013)
  3. ^ United States of America v. Michael Anthony Torres govinfo.gov (September 6, 2017)
  4. ^ Puente 13 gang leader, brother sentenced to life in prison Brian Day, San Gabriel Valley Tribune (March 6, 2013)
  5. ^ "Man sentenced for 2006 la Puente 'execution' of Valinda man who failed to pay 'taxes' to Mexican Mafia". 23 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b 182 Cal.App.4th 1009; 105 Cal.Rptr.3d 887 [Mar 2010] https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2276777/people-v-arias/
  7. ^ Martínez, Óscar; Martínez, Juan José (2019). The Hollywood Kid: The Violent Life and Violent Death of an MS-13 Hitman. Verso. Retrieved 3 October 2020 – via CrimeReads.
  8. ^ a b Valdemar, Richard (14 March 2013). "Gang Task Forces Take Down Mexican Mafia 'Carnals'". Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Investigation into Puente 13 Street Gang leads to federal narcotics, fraud and identity theft charges against 17 defendants".
  10. ^ a b "Brothers Who Led Mexican Mafia-Backed Puente-13 Street Gang Sentenced to Life in Prison as Result of Federal Racketeering Case". 2015-06-23.
  11. ^ Frank C. Girardot Jr. (8 March 2014). Name Dropper: Investigating the Clark Rockefeller Mystery. eBookIt.com. pp. 146–7. ISBN 978-1-4566-2141-4.
  12. ^ L.A. Daily News Special Report: "Terror in our streets" Archived 2015-05-11 at the Wayback Machine; seven-part series; 26 September; accessed 17 July 2015