FBI NEWS RELEASE

U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation
4500 Orange Grove Avenue
Sacramento, California 95841
 
For Immediate Release
December 11, 2008    Media Contact: SA Steve Dupre, (916) 977-2245

More than 40 arrested as part of multi-agency task force investigation

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After a more than two year investigation that focused on several factions of the Bakersfield Crips street gang, law enforcement authorities arrested 46 people this morning in Bakersfield, California.  In a coordinated effort that started at 7:00 a.m. approximately 200 officers participated in the arrests of gang members from the Eastside Crips, Westside Crips and Country Boy Crips and others who were engaged in criminal activity or who had outstanding warrants.  Authorities also recovered evidence related to the investigation after searching seven locations in the Bakersfield area.

The investigation is a product of the Kern County Violent Crime Gang Task Force (KCVCGTF) comprised of investigators from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI.  Investigators from the KCVCGTF identified the Crips street gang as one of several in Bakersfield that has been a continuing source of violent criminal activity to include the distribution and sales of illegal narcotics, most notably crack cocaine.  The long term nature of the case and the commitment of the agencies participating in the task force afforded investigators the time and resources necessary to obtain arrest warrants for 34 street gang members and their associates. Those arrested today have been charged with various state crimes to include felony participation in a criminal street gang.  

Supervisory Special Agent Dave Gelios of the Bakersfield FBI office said “We have been very successful in joining forces with our law enforcement partners across America to combat violent street gangs.  The task force approach allows us to maximize resources in an attempt to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute these violent gang offenders to the extent the law allows.  The arrests today are further proof that this approach to rooting out the criminals plaguing our neighborhoods, from street level thugs up through gang crew leaders, is working”.

 The subjects arrested this morning have been booked into the Kern County Jail and it’s likely they will appear in court for arraignment on Monday.  Authorities are continuing to look for 15 other individuals, many of them Crips gang members who, when located, will be arrested.