LOS ANGELES – A brutal beating death outside a bar in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of Los Angeles has left a trail of blood and tears, and today, the mastermind behind this heinous crime has been brought to justice. Celerino Jaramillo, a.k.a. “Bizzy,” a high-ranking member of the notorious Florencia 13 (F13) street gang, has been charged with three murders, including this beating death, as part of a federal grand jury indictment unsealed today.
The indictment alleges that Jaramillo, along with co-defendant Oscar Hernandez, a.k.a. “Drex,” of South Los Angeles, murdered a victim identified in court documents as “R.A.,” an F13 member who had violated the gang’s rules on June 19, 2023. The following month, Jaramillo and Hugo Armando Pineda, 36, a.k.a. “Menace,” of South Los Angeles, allegedly murdered “D.E.,” another F13 member in bad standing.
In a separate incident, on October 17, 2022, a mob of F13 members – including Jonathan Reyes, 19, a.k.a. “Creeper,” of South Los Angeles – beat one victim to death in the early morning outside a bar in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of Los Angeles. The victim repeatedly was stomped, kicked, and punched, and beaten with a baseball bat.
According to the indictment, Jaramillo was a “shot caller” in one of F13’s cliques and was involved in a series of racketeering-related crimes, including the running of “casitas,” or illegal after-hours bars and clubs. The indictment further alleges that Jaramillo and others were involved in fentanyl trafficking, extortion, and other violent crimes.
Today’s takedown resulted in the arrests of 23 F13 members and associates, who are expected to be arraigned on 11 indictments this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Six of the defendants were already in state or federal custody, and authorities continue to search for eight other defendants charged in these cases, including multiple defendants currently believed to be fugitives in Mexico.
Law enforcement officials seized approximately 21 pounds of methamphetamine, nine pounds of fentanyl, and 6.5 pounds of heroin, as well as 25 firearms and approximately $70,000 in cash connected to this investigation. The authorities stated that they will be relentless in combating these criminal organizations and restoring safety to the community.
“Florencia-13 is known for its barbaric tactics which, tragically, resulted in several murders alleged in the indictment,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field office. “Residents of the community in which Florencia-13 operates deserve to live their lives without fear from violence and extortion, and this joint investigation demonstrates our shared commitment to that goal.”
The authorities emphasized that the community’s quality of life will be enhanced by removing key offenders from the streets and disrupting their criminal network.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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