12 Arrested After 3-Year Cocaine Probe

After a three-year investigation by the FBI and Compton police, a dozen people were arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating two large-scale drug distribution networks.

All those arrested face conspiracy and drug charges, federal officials said.

The two men who allegedly headed the drug networks, Alfredo Alcaraz Jr., 31, of Compton, and Ricky Torres Rivera, 35, of Moreno Valley, were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. They allegedly were supplied by Mexican drug traffickers.

According to court documents, Rivera operated his cocaine trafficking organization from his Compton carwash in the 400 block of North Rosecrans Avenue.

During the investigation, 66 kilograms of cocaine worth $1.2 million and $50,000 in cash were seized, FBI officials said.

Also arrested were: Jose Manuel Noriega Rodriguez, 32, of Compton; Ernesto Carrillo, 27, of Compton; Larry Lewis Croom, 38, of Cerritos; German Lopez, 26, of Lynwood; Juan Espinoza, 27, of Covina; Leticia Flores, 22, of Compton; Daniel Torres, 33, of Compton; Marvin Dewayne Wright, 39, of Pasadena; Ricardo Martinez Vallejo, 22, of Compton; and Jorge Esteban Martinez, 30, of Compton.