Police take Ramon Rodriguez into custody at dawn on March 27, 2009, in Desert Hot Springs during a multi-agency crackdown and arrest of suspected gang members. / Jay Calderon The Desert Sun
Members of the Banning Police Department prepare themselves for the raid on a Desert Hot Springs home March 27, 2009, as part of Operation Falling Sun. / Jay Calderon The Desert Sun
Breaking down the numbers
Operation Falling Sun by the numbers
Total number of arrests: 125
RIVERSIDE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CASES
Number of suspects: 81
Number of convictions: 61
Number sent to prison: 19
Number of pending cases: 12
Number of dropped/dismissed cases: 5
Number sent to juvenile hall: 3
U.S. IMMIGRATIONS AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY CASES
Number of suspects: 18
Number deported: 11
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CASES
Number of suspects: Five
Number convicted: Three
PAROLEES
Number of suspects: 21
SERVICE CALLS
Desert Hot Springs police received more service calls from residents following the March 27, 2009, Operation Falling Sun than before it.
2008
Significant arrests
More
One by one, 125 suspected gang members and criminals were rounded up in Desert Hot Springs a year ago.
Today, more than half of those arrested during Operation Falling Sun have been incarcerated, deported or placed on probation, according to a Desert Sun review of court records.
“Good riddance. I'm glad they're off the street, even if it's not permanent,” Desert Hot Springs resident Gil Parker, 63, said Tuesday. “Maybe they'll learn not to cause trouble.”
The finalized convictions and deportations are the latest results from the multi-agency raid on Desert Hot Springs criminals on March 27, 2009.
In the past year, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office has:
Prosecuted 81 suspects.
Of the 81, 61 have been convicted, 19 of whom were sentenced to state prison for at least a year.
Two people await sentencing.
Three were ordered to pay restitution.
Thirty-six convicted criminals were sentenced to jail time and/or probation, the latter of which allows law enforcement officials to randomly search them.
“Getting them on probation is a huge tool to prevent future actions,” Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco said. “Any case we build as a result of a sweep like that is good.”
Three other suspects were turned over to juvenile officials.
As trials continue for the final 12 suspects, other agencies are taking care of the remaining Operation Falling Sun suspects.
Hours after their arrests:
Twenty-one parolees were returned to prison
Eighteen others were taken into custody by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement
Five were placed in unspecified federal custody.
The complete statuses of those under the auspices of immigration officials were not available, but court records show that 11 of them have been deported.
The U.S. Attorney's Office obtained convictions on two of the federal suspects, who were then sentenced to prison and deportation. A third man's trial is ongoing, officials said.
Human limitations
Officials couldn't hold onto everyone.
Because of a lack of evidence, five Riverside County defendants were released after their trials barely began, including Richard “Richie Rich” Martinez, who investigators called one of the most “violent guys in Desert Hot Springs.”
His whereabouts are unknown.
The U.S. Attorney's Office also did not file charges on its two other suspects due to insufficient evidence, but the suspects were still deported.
“Anytime you're dealing with human beings, you always have some limitations,” Pacheco said.
“The court system itself is designed to screen out some cases (in which) a judge might think there's not enough evidence. We've had a couple cases like that, but it's a very small number.”
Trials for the remaining suspects continue.
Cases involving smaller crimes such as robberies or drug usage may end quickly. But “the bigger cases take a while longer to go through the system when you have more significant penalties,” Pacheco said.
“We have our challenges in the court system. There are not enough judges or not enough jail beds, so those are two unique challenges facing Operation Falling Sun.”
In addition, prosecutors had to add additional charges to suspects accused of committing new crimes while out on bail:
Daniel Villa, who is accused of intimidating a witness
Osvaldo Villarreal Sr., who is accused of possessing a gun
Justin Elizalde, who was convicted for committing a burglary
Elizalde was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his original crime of a felon possessing a gun, but his burglary added two years and eight months to his sentence.
Trials are pending for Villa and Villarreal Sr.
Regardless of the arrestees' statuses, officials are keeping them on their radars.
“Our guys know who (the suspects) are, so if they see them out and about, we're checking on them,” Desert Hot Springs police Chief Patrick Williams said.
