20 charged in federal indictments aimed at street gang

SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say 20 people face federal drugs and weapons charges stemming from an investigation into a violent California street gang.

The Orange County Register reports members of the Orange County Violent Gang Task Force arrested nine people early Wednesday in connection with a series of federal grand jury indictments primarily targeting the Santa Ana-based Alley Boys.

Included in the indictments are allegations that suspected gang members operated a drug trafficking operation out of a budget hotel in Santa Ana, and that some members carried out a narcotics transaction at an Anaheim hotel where a half-pound (227 grams) of methamphetamine was sold for $3,500 in cash.

Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin describes the Alley Boys as a multi-generational street gang whose members have been involved in a wide variety of criminal endeavors, from assault and street robberies to drug sales and shootings.

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Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com