Westside Crips Enforcers Miranda, Lacey, Monroe Jailed

Three Oceanside-based members of the Westside Crips criminal enterprise were sentenced this week for their roles in a sprawling racketeering conspiracy that spanned over a decade, involving sex trafficking, drug distribution, armed robbery, and violent intimidation. Peter Miranda, Jasiri Lacey, and Larry Monroe each admitted to furthering the gang’s criminal operations, culminating in federal prison terms handed down by U.S. District Judge John A. Houston.

Miranda, known by the street aliases “Fat Boy,” “Baby Rocks,” and “Lil’ Burger,” was sentenced to 45 months behind bars. Court records show he actively promoted prostitution between June and November 2015, including transporting an adult female across jurisdictions for commercial sex acts. He also sold crack cocaine in Oceanside as far back as October 2008 to fund gang activities, and openly flaunted his affiliation by wearing blue—Westside Crips’ signature color—posting gang signs on Facebook, and broadcasting loyalty to the organization online.

Lacey, who went by “Baby Westwood” and “Baby West,” received a 72-month sentence after admitting to two brutal robberies. In one, he brandished a shotgun and stole marijuana and personal property from a victim at gunpoint. In another, he coordinated with two accomplices who stormed a San Diego wireless store with handguns, making off with 120 cell phones, two laptops, and nine Apple iPads—totaling approximately $8,500 in losses. While incarcerated, Lacey used a smuggled cell phone to direct a fellow gang member to manage a prostitute, furthering his involvement in the sex trafficking arm of the conspiracy.

Larry Monroe, not a formal gang member but a key narcotics supplier, was hit with a 180-month sentence for feeding methamphetamine into the Westside Crips’ distribution network. From December 2009 through October 2015, Monroe sold multiple quantities of meth to gang members and others, fueling addiction and violence across North County. He pleaded guilty to both the racketeering conspiracy and a separate charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, sealing his fate in federal lockup.

The Westside Crips, prosecutors say, operated like a criminal family with members pooling efforts to generate illicit revenue through any means necessary. Their criminal activity stretched from 2004 through February 2017, leaving behind a trail of trauma in Oceanside and surrounding communities. The gang used fear, violence, and exploitation to maintain control, with members coordinating drug sales, sex trafficking rings, and armed robberies under a unified hierarchy.

“Gang members and drug traffickers who continue to sell dangerous narcotics and exploit members of our community for their own personal gain and notoriety shall be vigorously prosecuted for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Braverman. The takedown was led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency federal initiative targeting high-level criminal enterprises. Case numbers: 17cr0270-JAH, 17cr0214-JAH.