More Sentencings in Mexican Mafia Case

Amid sobs from some relatives, three more members of the Mexican Mafia were sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole after their conviction this year on federal racketeering and conspiracy charges.

A fourth man, Joe “Shakey Joe” Hernandez, 43, received a lighter prison term, 32 years, partly because he is only an associate and not a full-fledged member of the secretive prison gang.

U.S. District Judge Ronald S. W. Lew told Hernandez he was imposing the same sentence that he gave a day earlier to the youngest of the 12 Mexican Mafia defendants who are being sentenced this week. With the lighter sentence, the judge said, Hernandez could be paroled.

Under federal guidelines, Hernandez must serve at least 85% of the 32-year sentence before he can be considered for parole. By that time, relatives said, he will be 70.

While his relatives denounced the verdict, Hernandez remained true to the code of silence that the prison gang lives by. When asked by the judge if he had anything to say, Hernandez, after conferring with defense attorney Manuel Araujo, replied: “No, not really.”

The convictions in May of the 12 Mexican Mafia defendants resulted from a 1995 federal indictment designed to combat the prison gang’s growing influence. Formed in 1957, the Mexican Mafia has been expanding its power base inside California’s prisons to hold sway over Los Angeles street gangs.

Twenty-two men were indicted on charges that they murdered seven people, tried to kill 18 others, extorted money from local gang members and trafficked in illegal drugs. Seven men pleaded guilty to lesser charges; one died before he could be arrested, and one was acquitted in May. One is still awaiting trial.

Eight defendants so far this week have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The most emotional point during Thursday’s sentencings occurred when Jesse “Pelon” Moreno, 58, appeared before Lew. A truck driver who had stayed out of trouble for nearly 10 years, Moreno nevertheless received a life term because he was convicted for conspiring to kill two Los Angeles gang members.

After the session ended, sobbing family members cried out, “I love you, Pelon.”

“OK, be careful and take care,” replied Moreno, who showed no reaction to the verdict. “Call me.”

Outside court, Moreno’s relatives criticized Lew for imposing what they said were ridiculous conditions on him in the event he is released. Among the conditions was the prohibition against undesirable tattoos.

“He got life,” one relative said. “What else do they want?”

By contrast, the sentencing of Ruben “Tupi” Hernandez, 37, was lighthearted as he joked with security guards and relatives in the audience.