Christian Lafargo, Racketeering, California 2023

El Monte Gang Member Christian Lafargo Sentenced to 210 Months in Federal Prison

LOS ANGELES, CA – An El Monte man who pled guilty to four separate crimes related to gang activity has been sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison.

Christian ‘Bossy’ Lafargo, 30, was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (‘RICO’) Conspiracy, Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering -– Attempted Murder, Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering – Conspiracy to Commit Murder, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.

The case was based on Lafargo’s activities in the El Monte Flores (‘EMF’) gang, one of the oldest street gangs in Los Angeles County. According to the government’s sentencing papers, EMF has hundreds of Mexican Mafia affiliated gang members, spanning several generations. The Mexican Mafia is a powerful and violent prison gang that controls drug distribution and other illegal activities within the California penal system and on the streets of Southern California by organizing Latino street gang members for the purpose of establishing a larger network for the Mexican Mafia’s illegal activities.

Lafargo, a long-time EMF member, participated in drug distribution, extortion, and crimes of violence on behalf of the enterprise and the most aggravating aspect of defendant’s offense conduct was his violent activity on behalf of the gang.

“Gang violence like that employed by the EMF gang terrorizes the community and often victimizes the innocent,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Lafargo was an integral part of that violence and was unwilling to stop committing crimes, even when in State Prison. The sentence imposed in this case will protect the El Monte community for over 17 years.”

Lafargo was the latest defendant sentenced by Judge Kronstadt in the case against the EMF gang. Other defendants who have been sentenced in this case include:

• Rafael Lomeli, 38, of El Monte, was sentenced to 130 months in custody on May 5, 2016;
• Mark Salazar, 25, of El Monte, was sentenced to five years in prison on April 21, 2016;
• Enrique Lopez, 50, of El Monte, was sentenced to 65 months in custody on March 24, 2016;
• Marie Gutierrez, 56, of El Monte, was sentenced to 27 months in custody on February 4, 2016;
• Hiram Ramirez, 48, of El Monte, was sentenced to 32 months in custody on December 17, 2015;

Jose Salas, 38, of El Monte, has pled guilty and admitted to attempting to murder Lafargo and another gang member after Lafargo failed in his attempt to murder Salas. Salas has agreed to a sentence of 15 years in prison and will be sentenced later this year.

Defendant Information:

• Defendant Name: Christian Lafargo
• Criminal Charges: Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (‘RICO’) Conspiracy, Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering -– Attempted Murder, Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering – Conspiracy to Commit Murder, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
• City and State: El Monte, California
• Exact Date: Thursday by United States District Judge John A. Kronstadt
• Sentence: 210 months in federal prison

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