Four members of a Pomona gang with confirmed ties to the Mexican Mafia faced justice in Los Angeles as a federal jury delivered guilty verdicts on counts of murder and racketeering-related crimes. The trial, which spanned 20 days, concluded with the quartet's roles in a vast criminal enterprise stretching over eight years, leading from street-level drug sales to a fatal assault within the confines of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC).
Michael Lerma, 68, also known by his street monikers "Pomona Mike" and "Big Mike," together with Carlos Gonzalez, 41, aka "Popeye," Juan Sanchez, 33, aka "Squeaks," and Jose Valencia Gonzalez, 44, aka "Swifty," has been found guilty of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR) murder, and first-degree murder. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Lerma and Valencia Gonzalez were also convicted of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, while Gonzalez and Valencia Gonzalez also were found guilty of being felons in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally conveyed the gravity of their offenses, stating, "These defendants were key players in a criminal enterprise that committed murder, assault, and drug trafficking." He further proclaimed, "Today's verdict will take these offenders off our streets and make our community safer," in a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, added that the case highlights how gang violence extends from the streets into the corrections system.
A series of interconnected crimes linked to the gang members was uncovered during the investigation, with activities centered around extortion, drug trafficking, and ultimately murder. The criminal enterprise, led by Lerma, exerted control over the proceeds of drug sales from Latino street gangs in and around Pomona and inmates within Calipatria State Prison. In a pivotal encounter in June 2020, to enforce a drug debt, Carlos Gonzalez, Valencia Gonzalez, and Sanchez murdered a fellow inmate, only identified as "S.B.," following orders alleged to have come from Lerma. The executions of these crimes, laid out with the precision of a business transaction, underscored just how methodical the gang's operations had become. These details were confirmed by KCAL News.
Additional convictions tied to this case include Cheryl Perez-Castaneda, 62, who is serving a 12-year sentence for her role as a "señora" within the gang, soliciting a murder, and participating in a shooting during a carjacking attempt. Kelly Deshannon, 43, has received a sentence of more than seven years for playing the part of "secretary" to Lerma, facilitating an armed robbery, extortion, and narcotics distribution.
