Two Violent Gang Members Arrested for Murder

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, June 9, 2000

"Two Violent Gang Members Arrested for Murder"

San Pedro: The combined efforts of the local media, community members, officers of the Harbor Special Enforcement Unit (SEU), and members of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Crime, Fugitive Section, (LAPD and FBI), resulted in the arrests of two violent street gang members that have been wanted for several weeks.

On June 8, 2000, at 8:30 p.m., Fernando Edward Macias, male Hispanic, 21 years of age, was arrested without incident by officers of the Harbor SEU in the 500 block of West 17th Street, at his sister’s apartment. Officers were familiar with this location and had served a search warrant there on June 7,2000. Macias was wanted for the Infliction of Corporal Injury upon Spouse on his girlfriend on March 18, 2000. The victim had been stabbed 10 to 12 times but she survived the attack. The search warrant had been based on information received from a citizen, corroborated by investigative measures that included use of an Internet database. The citizen’s information also prompted the search of a parolee’s residence in the same building. This search produced a semi-automatic handgun and a vehicle with bullet holes, matching the vehicle used in an Attempted Murder at 9th Street and Pacific Avenue on May 24, 2000. The parolee was booked for Ex-Con with a Gun.

On June 9, 2000, at approximately 12:00 p.m., James Ruben Rodriguez, male Hispanic, 22 years of age, was arrested by Harbor patrol officers and members of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Crime, Fugitive Section, to the rear of the Vagabond Hotel, located at 215 South Gaffey Street in San Pedro. Rodriguez was wanted for the Murder of Travon Green and the Attempted Murder of Jabari Meador on May 27, 2000, at 25th Street and Patton Avenue. Rodriquez was also wanted for the Attempted Murder of Fernando Jackson on May 24, 2000, on West 9th Street and Pacific Avenue. During this crime, several shots were exchanged between Rodriguez and his intended victims, resulting in bullets shattering the windows of the Hope Chapel, 461 West 9th Street.

During the past few weeks, Harbor SEU officers, with the assistance of Harbor patrol officers, have conducted intensive patrol activities in San Pedro in an effort to locate Macias and Rodriguez. While searching for the suspects, several other gang members have been arrested for miscellaneous charges, including Ex-Con with a Gun, Parole Violations, Possession of an Assault Rifle, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. During the seven arrests resulting from the officers’ efforts, an SKS Assault Rifle, .308 rifle, Ingram Mini Mac-11 machine- pistol with two 30 round magazines, and a .380 pistol were recovered.

Harbor Homicide Detectives will continue to exhaust all efforts to determine if firearm evidence connects Macias and Rodriguez to other homicides and violent crimes that have occurred in the past several weeks in the San Pedro area. Any person with information regarding these crimes should contact LAPD Harbor Community Police Station at 310-548-7603.

For Release 5:00 pm PDT
June 9, 2000