Federal Racketeering Indictment Targets Wilmas Gang in Wilmington

Seventeen alleged members and associates of the Wilmas street gang were arrested in a pre-dawn sweep across Wilmington, accused of a two-decade reign of terror that includes murder, attempted murder of law enforcement, narcotics trafficking, and witness intimidation. The arrests stem from a 111-page federal racketeering indictment unsealed this morning, targeting a criminal enterprise tied to the Mexican Mafia and responsible for spreading violence through Los Angeles’ industrial corridor since the 1950s.

The indictment, filed under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, names 29 defendants in total. Seventeen were arrested during Operation ‘Tidal Wave,’ a coordinated strike led by LAPD, DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service. Ten others were already behind bars on unrelated charges, while two remain at large. Authorities seized nearly eight pounds of methamphetamine and 10 firearms—evidence directly linked to shootings and ongoing gang operations.

According to U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker, the Wilmas gang has operated as a violent enforcement arm for the Mexican Mafia, collecting ‘taxes’ from local drug dealers, retaliating against informants, and carrying out executions on prison gang orders. ‘This federal indictment seeks to dismantle the leadership of the Wilmas street gang, a particularly violent street gang that regularly targets members of the community and law enforcement officers for murder,’ Decker stated. ‘Today’s takedown will help restore order across Wilmington.’

The indictment details two murders of 16-year-old victims on February 26, 2012, along with a string of armed assaults on police officers dating back to 2008. As a ‘sureños’ gang, the Wilmas are sworn to the Mexican Mafia and have enforced territorial control with extreme prejudice. The probe also uncovered a pattern of racial violence: the indictment alleges the gang is racist and has systematically targeted African-Americans who enter or attempt to live in their claimed territory.

Operation Tidal Wave was run through the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, led by the DEA. ‘This joint investigation targeted a very violent and ruthless criminal gang that has terrorized the citizens of Wilmington for too long,’ said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steve Comer. ‘We’re allied with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer.’

The 31-count indictment includes RICO conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, extortion, witness tampering, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, and narcotics trafficking charges. One defendant faces additional charges as a felon in possession of a shotgun. If convicted, many of those arrested could face decades in federal prison as prosecutors move to dismantle one of Southern California’s most entrenched street gangs.

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