Ogden gang member sweep leads to 15 arrests

OGDEN — State and federal agents cracked down on gang activity last week, netting 15 known gang members and discovering a fake ID mill where bogus Social Security cards were being printed.

The "surge" was conducted June 23-27 and focused largely on Ogden but involved law enforcement officers from eight departments.

Kris Line, the resident agent in charge of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Ogden office, who also oversees ICE investigations in northern Utah, said the sweep was part of the national initiative Community Shield — a year-round effort that culminates in concentrated sweeps.

Line said local law enforcement officers are indispensable to ICE efforts to remove gang members from various nations off of the streets.

"No one knows better than they do what the criminal element is in their communities," Line said. "The cooperation we have with them has been tremendous. Utah's law enforcement is second to none. They have officers that are extremely well-trained, and they care about their job, and they care about the communities they serve."

Line said federal and local officers have teamed up to target areas with a large, active "transnational" gang presence every year since 2008. A statewide sweep conducted over the course of two months led to 70 arrests. Officials netted 11 Mexican nationals — 10 of whom were in the country illegally — and four U.S. citizens in the most recent operation. One of the men arrested engaged police in a standoff before his arrest. Officers then found a firearm in his home, which Line said could lead to additional charges of a felon in possession of a firearm.

Two of the gang members were wanted on out-of-state warrants, two were found in possession of forgery instruments and a third man had the materials to create bogus Social Security and resident alien cards. Line said many of these individuals may face federal charges.

"They will all be facing removal," Line said of the 11 foreign nationals. "But prior to removal, if they have outstanding warrants or criminal charges, they will face justice first. They will first serve prison or jail time, and they will then face removal."

Though those arrested had connections to six separate gangs, including Surenos 13, Nortenos, Ogden Trece, Latin Kings, Hyrum Town Locos and 18th Street, Line said they all had one thing in common — "extensive criminal histories."

"We removed some hardened criminals off of the streets, which is going to make the communities in which everyone lives safer," he said, noting that he was "absolutely" pleased with the results of the sweep.

Operation Community Shield is a national initiative that has been in place since 2005. Its stated purpose, according to ICE.gov, is to target "violent transnational street gangs through the use of ICE's broad law enforcement powers, including the unique and powerful authority to remove (deport) criminal aliens, including illegal aliens and legal permanent resident aliens."

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