FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION/PRIVACY ACTS SECTION COVER SHEET SUBJECT:__CRIPS AND BLOODS DRUG GANGSDW mes 4:26-63, LA Gang Member’s® Arrest Concerns Police ieee sealed, five-count indictment was handed BALTIMORE, Sept. 26—An al- jury here last week charging him leged member of a notorious Los with acquiring Angeles street gang called the jdentification and illegally possess- Crips was arrested here today on ing firearms as a convicted felon, weapons charges, fueling specula- The charges carry a maximum sen tion among federal agents that the tence of 25 years’ imprisonment 10,000-member gang bas extended and §1.25 million in fines upon con. its drug network to the Washing- ton-Baltimore area. isesberg said additional charges ‘Agents said they arrested Ar- against Mines are expected. Mines mando Eugene Mines, 25, as he en- js being held in custody pending 2 tered a city court to answer a local detention hearing Wednesday. assault charge. At the same time. Prosecutors, citing what they say is ‘other agents searched his recently Mines’ dangerousness and. likeli- rented suburban Baltimore apart- hood of fight, want him held with- ‘ment and confiscated 2.5 pounds of out bail unt trial suspected cocaine, a semiautomatic According to the federal affidavit, rifle, $10,000 in cash and cocaine- agents traced Mines to the Crips af- ‘packaging equipment, according to ter city police arrested him in June Assistant US. Attorney Harvey E. on a charge of assault with a band- Eisenberg. ‘gun and seized a 9mm semiauto- An affidavit filed by agents of the matic pistol from him that be had Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and purchased from a Baltimore gun Firearms in federal court identified dealer using the name of his broth- Mines as a member of the Crips er, Robert Edwards Mines Jr. of ‘gang, one of several large, increas- Los Angeles. He also had purchased ingly violent gangs in the Los An- a 44caliber revolver in March sgeles area where California author- from the same dealer, the affidavit ities say more than 380 people said. He was released on bond in were killed last year in feuds over the assault case. drug customers and territory. ‘Through fingerprint analysis, the Law enforcement officials say the affidavit said, agents determined Crips and a rival gang called the the identity of Armando Mines and Bloods have extended their net- learned from California authorities ‘works into other cities such as Seat- that he was a “documented” mem tle, Toronto and Kansas City. To- ber of the Los Angeles neighbor- day's arrest of Mines here marked hood branch of the Crips called the the first tangible presence of the Santana Block Crips. He also had a Crips in the Washington-Baltimore 1983 burglary conviction on his i area, oficial said. record, agents Sai. “They would not say whether oth- "The affidavit said the Crips have oT fer Crips members are in the area about 10,000 members in the Los he Wasnngton Post fe TY but said their investigation is con- Angeles area and are divided into ‘The Washegton Temes tinuing. The federal affidavit indi-Joose “sets” or groups identified by iy News (ew ‘cated agents had Mines under pe- local street names or landmarks. peters cesnaee Fiodic surveillance for several A “recent wave... of shootings Tha New York Tenet months. and gangland-style homicides in the ‘The Wet Steet Joums! “He was distributing drugs at Los Angeles area, along with in- ‘Tre Cneage Tresne least for himself ... if not as an creased competition for the drug ‘The Los Angoies Tes arm of the gang,” Eisenberg told re- dollar and the accompanying law ‘The Crvanan Science Monto: porters. He said he did not know enforcement response, have driven usa toany in om 822 -8E ne 7| be stopped and on the car homebox! Wheres sour, [DP i Gut any dope?