Innocent Pleas Entered for 13 Gang Members, Associates

A federal judge entered innocent pleas Thursday for 13 Nuestra Familia gang members and associates facing a litany of federal charges including murder, robbery, conspiracy and drug-related crimes.

The charges came in a 25-count indictment handed down last week at the end of a three-year, $5-million local, state and federal investigation.

The 12 men and one woman filled the jury box in Judge Charles Breyer’s courtroom. Most were heavily tattooed and all wore red jail jumpsuits. They also wore 18-inch leg chains, waist chains with handcuffs and maximum security boxes, which cover the locks on the handcuffs so they can’t be picked.

Authorities say five leaders of the Nuestra Familia gang--Ceasar Ramirez, 40, Rico Garcia, 34, Gerald Rubalcaba, 46, Tex Marin Hernandez, 47, and Jacob Enriquez, 40--were responsible for the murders of at least five men between 1997 and 1999.

They and other members also unsuccessfully tried to arrange the killings of at least 10 more men and women, officials said.

On Thursday, the defendants were arraigned by Magistrate Jim Larson, then had a status conference before Breyer, who set a Jan. 28, 2002, trial date despite the objections of defense lawyers.