Breaking news from Simi Valley, as a well-known gang member and convicted felon, Anthony Romero, 42, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for firearms trafficking. Romero's ties with the West Side Locos gang have long troubled the community, with his criminal activity spanning across multiple states. According to a press release from the Simi Valley Police Department, this sentence comes after an extensive investigation following a shooting incident in June 2023, which wound up tying Romero to a string of gun-related crimes in the area.
The press release details that the Simi Valley Police responded to a shooting at the River Ranch Apartments on June 21, 2023, and eventually traced the increase in gun-related incidents back to Romero's trafficking activities. Romero, who split his time between Texas and California, illegally purchased firearms in Texas and smuggled them through multiple states to distribute among the members and associates of a the West Side Locos. A collaborative effort between local police, the ATF Dallas Field Office, and the ATF Los Angeles Field Office led to a thorough investigation and Romero's indictment by a Federal Grand Jury in Texas.
The SVPD has expressed its determination to dismantle criminal networks within Simi Valley, emphasizing the importance of community reporting in its fight against crime. "Romero has been well-known to the Simi Valley Police Department since 1997," the Simi Valley Police Department noted. The department's familiarity with the convicted felon's history, including "multiple arrests and lengthy prison terms for gang-related crimes," showcases a continuous battle against local organized crime that seems far from over.
The joint investigation revealed that Romero had become skilled at obtaining and distributing firearms, exploiting Texas’s lax gun laws to supply California’s criminal underworld. Investigators recovered illegal firearms from his Texas residence, which led to his arrest in Simi Valley and extradition to Texas, where he was sentenced on July 15. For further details on the case and the Simi Valley Police Department's continued efforts to combat firearm trafficking, visit their official announcement at Simi Valley Police Department Press Release.
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