City Seeks Injunction Against 40 Hollywood Gang Members

Standing in an East Hollywood parking lot, city and county officials announced plans Thursday to seek an injunction against a “small but vicious” group of gang members.

Under the public nuisance abatement lawsuit, 40 members of the Hollywood set of Mara Salvatrucha, a primarily Salvadoran gang, would be banned from publicly associating with each other in the neighborhood.

Although the injunction would not take effect until April 13, when a Superior Court judge is expected to approve it, Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti said the mere announcement will have immediate results in the neighborhood.

“The word will get out quickly, and you’ll see a reduction of crime in the area,” he said. “The entire community will feel a greater level of safety and feel more confident about reporting crimes that do occur. People are just tired of drug dealing.”

As testimony to the intimidation the gang imposes in the middle-class neighborhood, a row of 10 seats reserved for residents remained empty throughout the announcement.

A coordinated effort to reduce gang-related crimes and drug dealing in the neighborhood near Western Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard began several months ago, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael Juarez, who is handling the lawsuit.

He said prosecutors have been working with the police anti-gang unit in Hollywood and the county Probation Department “and have already seen a drop in gang activity.”

The suit seeks to ban any two Mara Salvatrucha members from “standing, sitting, walking, driving, gathering or appearing anywhere in public view in the targeted area unless the individuals reside in the same dwelling unit.” That area is bounded by Sunset Boulevard and Melrose, Van Ness and Normandie avenues.

After the announcement, a young man wearing baggy gray pants sauntered by.

“I’m glad they’re going to do that injunction,” he said. “They had two crack houses on my block. I hate those guys. They see me and the way I’m dressed and they tell me it’s their territory. Man, I’ve been living here 15 years. They just got here.”

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Injunction Area

City and county officials plan to seek a public nuisance abatement action against about 40 members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang in the East Hollywood area of Los Angeles.