Mexican Mafia Life Sentences Criticized

As two Mexican Mafia members were sentenced to life in prison, a defense attorney criticized the prosecution of the prison gang Friday, contending that it won’t help stem violence in Los Angeles.

“Will this sentence or the others you have imposed deter crime?” Deputy Federal Public Defender Ellen Barry asked a Los Angeles judge before he passed judgment on her client. “No,” she said, answering her own question.

“This prosecution and these life sentences will not stop . . . young men from joining gangs at [age] 11 and going to prison as teenagers.”

U.S. District Judge Ronald S.W. Lew called Barry a “fighter” for her client, but added that he had little choice but to sentence Alex “Pee Wee” Aguirre, 32, to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus 60 months, because of his crimes and criminal past.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Lisa Lench, the chief prosecutor, did not respond. Later, Lench’s boss, U.S. Atty. Nora M. Manella, noted that her office has not received a single protest from the public about the case.

Also sentenced to life Friday was Raymond “Champ” Mendez, 46, of Santa Ana. Of the 12 defendants convicted in the racketeering and conspiracy case, 10 received life sentences and two got 32 years in prison.