Thursday, federal prosecutors charged four people in the murder of an off-duty Los Angeles Police officer, Fernando Arroyors (27). Fernando was murdered while he was off duty.
Jesse Contrera (34), Ernesto Cisneros (22), Luis Alfredo de la Rosa Rios (27), and Haylee Marie Grisham (18) were all charged with murdering Officer Fernando. The four have been linked to the Florencia 13 gang, the men are all members of the gang and Grisham is the girlfriend of Rios listed as an associate.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva took the case to federal prosecutors, telling Fox News that he bypassed the local DA because the office was “not satisfactory” and “really did not cover the depravity of this crime.”
Villanueva told the Los Angeles Times, “I believe their plan was to just prosecute a simple murder with no gun enhancements, no gang enhancements, nothing, and that really did not cover the depravity of this crime…. It should be noted that the California penal code does cover all these things. The tools are there but we need to have someone who’s willing to use them.” This was after being asked if he had consulted with the DA George Gascon’s office.
The four face the possibility of the death penalty and a minimum sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The four were charged with a violent crime in aid of racketeering by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Califonia.
Gascon has decided to no longer pursue sentencing enhancements in gang-related cases. In March of this year, Gascon declined to prosecute 17-year-old Jalen Yoakum, who allegedly murdered Ontario Courtney (40). Yoakum allegedly murdered Courtney when his car broke down in South Loa Angeles in 2017. Yoakum allegedly shot Courtney multiple times.
As a part of reforms, Gascon introduced in 2020 the DA’s office would no longer be charging juveniles as adults. He also withdrew the gang and gun enhancements against Yoakum filed by his predecessor’s office.
L.A. Police chief Michael Moor commented Thursday following the arrests that he is “grateful for the federal involvement in this case. It is appropriate. I am thankful for the U.S. attorney stepping in and bringing the full weight of the government against this gang, against these individuals.”
Arroyos was murdered on Monday night while looking at houses with his girlfriend. Rios and Cisneros robbed the pair and Arroyos reportedly exchanged gunfire with the suspects, he was hit and collapsed in an alley. Later he died at a hospital.
It seems that Villanueva felt to get justice for the murdered officer he would have to go around the L.A. County District Attorney’s office.
LAPD shared about Officer Arroyo’s death on Twitter Tuesday evening.
“We mourn the loss of Officer Fernando Uriel Arroyos who was killed while off-duty in a senseless act of violence. Officer Arroyos is survived by his parents & girlfriend. God bless his family who lost their loved one, & the men and women of the dept during this difficult time.”
We mourn the loss of Officer Fernando Uriel Arroyos who was killed while off-duty in a senseless act of violence. Officer Arroyos is survived by his parents & girlfriend.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) January 12, 2022
God bless his family who lost their loved one, & the men and women of the dept during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/XirohPK0oh
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