Police Step Up War on Gangs in O.C.

Police stepped up the war against gangs today, announcing the arrests of a reputed Santa Ana gang member who allegedly harassed a witness to one of Orange County’s worst gang murders and of an Oceanside man in connection with a drive-by shooting in San Clemente on Christmas Eve that wounded a 4-year-old girl.

The Santa Ana suspect was one of three being sought by police. He allegedly was identified as one of the members of the notorious 5th Street gang in Santa Ana who threatened a witness with death.

The campaign of terror included a Molotov cocktail thrown at the witness’ house, shots fired along his street and claims that a $3,000 contract had been put out on his life, said Orange County Deputy Dist. Atty. Tom Avdeef.

Santa Ana police conducted six searches at Santa Ana houses looking for evidence in the case. They arrested Richard Ramirez, 20, of Santa Ana on Thursday and booked him on charges of conspiracy, assault with a deadly weapon and intimidating a witness.

The witness, who was not identified, is expected to testify against three reputed members of the 5th Street gang who sprayed gunfire from the bed of a pickup that drove through a Garden Grove housing tract.

Two boys, ages 4 and 17, were killed in the incident last September and several other people wounded in a case considered one of the worst ever for gang warfare in the county.

“If you intimidate witnesses, it makes a joke of the whole criminal justice system,” said Avdeef of the arrest.

In the San Clemente case, officers arrested Floyd Avery, 18, of Oceanside Thursday for allegedly firing shots into a house as he drove by, wounding a 4-year-old girl. Chief Albert C. Ehlow said in a statement that the Sheriff’s Department and the district attorney’s gang detail prosecutors participated in the arrest.

The motive for the shooting has not been disclosed.