Federal and local law enforcement announced the arrest of 14 suspected leaders of the Rancho San Pedro gang in Los Angeles, marking the culmination of a years-long investigation into one of Southern California’s most violent criminal organizations. The takedown, carried out Tuesday morning, dismantled the gang’s leadership and struck a major blow against Mexican Mafia–controlled networks linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
According to the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, agents executed 16 search warrants across San Pedro and nearby communities with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the California Department of Justice. The coordinated operation resulted in the seizure of weapons, narcotics, and detailed gang records from homes and meeting locations used by the group.
“The era of cartels operating freely in America is over,” said FBI Director Kash Patel in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “Every day, the FBI and our partners are dismantling violent networks at the source—stripping their resources, taking criminals off the streets, and saving American lives.”
Investigators said the Rancho San Pedro gang maintained ties with both the Sinaloa Cartel and the 13th Street gang, working jointly to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and PCP throughout Los Angeles and the South Bay. The gang, with an estimated 500 members across six cliques, allegedly paid “taxes” to Mexican Mafia bosses within the state prison system in exchange for protection and supply access.
“This action will cause a significant setback to Rancho San Pedro and their Mexican Mafia overlords and lead to safer streets for San Pedro residents,” said FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director Akil Davis, who added that the arrests effectively dismantled the gang’s command structure.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell credited Harbor Division detectives for “building the case step by step” and coordinating with federal agents to take down the organization. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli praised the operation as a “model of partnership,” noting that 13 of the defendants are charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, with an additional defendant charged as a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court filings, the gang operated as a cartel-affiliated enforcement and distribution arm, moving narcotics from Sinaloa sources into Los Angeles neighborhoods. Federal agents described Rancho San Pedro as a criminal enterprise that mirrors the Mexican Mafia’s prison-based hierarchy, enforcing its code with violence, assaults, and executions against members accused of disloyalty.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the raids removed “illegal weapons and dangerous drugs” from communities across the South Bay, while federal prosecutors emphasized that the case represents a long-term disruption of cartel-linked street gangs within the United States.
All 14 suspects appeared in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, where most face life in federal prison if convicted. Officials said more arrests could follow as the investigation continues, noting that multiple search warrants remain under seal.
“This case shows the power of partnerships,” Essayli said. “Together, we are delivering results—taking violent offenders off the streets and keeping our communities safe.”
