A 23-year-old member of the Gardena 13 street gang was convicted by a jury for his involvement in a fatal shooting that claimed the life of a 29-year-old man right outside of his family's home, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice on their official website. The incident, which took place in November 2020, resulted in the death of the victim at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
The verdict against Justin Arteaga, also known as "Hitta," came after a five-day trial revealing that the victim, who was sitting in a parked car with his brother was confronted by Arteaga and two other armed men, following what was perceived as a disrespect towards the Gardena 13 gang, United States Attorney Martin Estrada pointed out, "The victims of gang violence are most often the people living in the very neighborhoods the gangs claim as their own," and described the murder as a "cowardly and senseless" act that cut short a young life, Arteaga now faces a mandatory life sentence and is scheduled for sentencing on September 20.
During this violent encounter, a shootout ensued involving the victim's father, which also saw gang member Jesus Hernandez, known as "Rowdy," taking part; Hernandez has since been sentenced to a 110-month prison term after pleading guilty to charges of firearm possession by a felon, the U.S. Attorney's Office noted that Arteaga was apprehended while attempting to leave the country from Los Angeles International Airport just days after the homicide.
Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Gardena Police Department were credited for their investigative efforts into this case with Gardena Police Chief Michael Saffell expressing his appreciation for their "thorough investigation and prosecution" which helped bring closure to the victim's family, "The Gardena Police Department expresses its appreciation to the US Attorney's Office, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the ATF, and all other participating agencies," he said in a statement.
The successful prosecution of Arteaga involved Assistant United States Attorneys, including Kevin J. Butler and Varun Behl, who are part of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, respectively; this case highlights ongoing efforts by federal and local agencies to address gang-related violence and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
