Press Release

Ten San Jose Gang Members And Associates Arrested On Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

Thursday, November 21, 2013

For Immediate Release

U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California

SAN JOSE – Raul Morfin was arraigned today in federal court in San Jose on methamphetamine distribution charges, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

Morfin represents the tenth defendant arrested on federal drug trafficking charges as part of a proactive operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Santa Clara County Violent Gang Task Force targeting gang members selling methamphetamine in Santa Clara County.

The defendants include the reputed “matriarch” of the Sureño gang “8th Street Gilroy” (Maria Salinas), alleged co-conspirator brothers affiliated with the Sureño gang “Varrio Mexicanos Locos” (Jairo and Filiberto Quintana), an alleged co-conspirator mother and daughter combination associated with the Sureño gang “Varrio Sur Town” (Laura Garcia and Vanessa Pulido), and known members and associates of the Sureño gangs “Colonias,” “Poco Way,” and “Varrio Paisanos Locos.” All but one of the defendants has thus far been detained pre-trial, thereby disrupting a substantial gang presence within Santa Clara County.

As set forth below, the ten defendants are charged in eight separate indictments with distributing and conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and, in one case, possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

Defendant	Charges	Docket Number	Next Court Appearance
EDUARDO ARRIAGA a/k/a “Moreno”	Distribution of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking	CR 13-00510 EJD	12/02/2013
LAURA GARCIA a/k/a “Blinky” and VANESSA PULIDO a/k/a “Bunny”	Distribution of Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine	CR 13-00508 LHK	12/04/2013
RAFAEL MEDINA a/k/a “Conejo”	Distribution and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine	CR 13-00507 LHK	12/04/2013
RAUL VALLE MORFIN a/k/a “Green Eyes”	Distribution of Methamphetamine	CR 13-00509 DLJ	11/26/2013
JESUS QUINONES a/k/a “Canas”	Distribution of Methamphetamine	CR 13-00503 DLJ	01/09/2014
JAIRO QUINTANA a/k/a “Hido” and FILIBERTO QUINTANA a/k/a “Peewee”	Distribution of Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine	CR 13-00506 LHK	12/18/2013
MARIA SALINAS a/k/a “Grumpy”	Distribution of Methamphetamine	CR 13-00504 LHK	02/12/2014
ULYSSES VASQUEZ a/k/a “Dreamer”	Distribution and Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine	CR 13-00502 RMW	11/25/2013

The maximum penalty that defendants Vasquez and Arriaga face upon conviction is life imprisonment. At this time, the other eight defendants face a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Meyer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey O’Neill are prosecuting these cases with the assistance of Nina Burney, Tracey Andersen and Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Santa Clara County Violent Gang Task Force.

Please note, an indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, these defendants must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

(Arriaga indictment )(Garcia & Pulido indictment )(Morfin indictment )

(Medina indictment )(Quinones indictment )(Quintana indictment )

(Salinas indictment )(Vasquez indictment )

Updated November 18, 2014

Component

USAO - California, Northern

Press Release Number: LAURA GARCIA
a/k/a “Blinky” and
VANESSA PULIDO
a/k/a “Bunny”