SUN VALLEY : Police Seize Slaying Suspect in Sweep

Los Angeles police arrested a 17-year-old gang member on suspicion of killing a North Hollywood youth in a drive-by shooting last month during an early morning sweep Thursday in Sun Valley, authorities said.

The teen-ager, who was not identified because of his age, was taken into custody at his mother’s home in the 12300 block of Sheldon Street at 7:30 a.m.

Detective Mark Aragon of the LAPD’s North Hollywood Division said the teen-ager, with no provocation, shot Omar Valdez, 17, of North Hollywood on Oct. 31 as he used a pay phone near his home.

Valdez was not a gang member, Aragon said.

Two other members of the same Sun Valley gang were arrested on outstanding warrants in the sweep. Francisco Deras, 20, of Sun Valley was arrested at the Sheldon Street address and was held at the North Hollywood Station in lieu of $15,000 bail, Aragon said. Deras was wanted on a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm.

Steven Cota, 20, of Sun Valley was arrested at his home on a misdemeanor vandalism warrant and was released on $250 bail, Aragon said.

Nine locations were hit in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums, or CRASH, sweep Thursday, which included 50 investigators from the LAPD’s Valley and West bureaus, Aragon said.

Police recovered a loaded sawed-off shotgun in the murder suspect’s bedroom and various gang paraphernalia at the other sites, including photos of the gang members, gang drawings and a list of gang members, Aragon said.