Sarah Brady should be proud.
LOS ANGELES -- A former gang member who founded of an anti-gun group that received $1.5 million from the city to reduce gun and gang violence pleaded no contest Thursday to weapons charges and was sentenced to eight years in state prison.
Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin, 51, and co-defendant Sylvia Arellano, 25, entered pleas before Judge Steven Van Sicklen on three counts of manufacture, distribution and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon.
Arellano also pleaded no contest to machine gun conversion and possessing a silencer and admitted that the crime was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
Marroquin was arrested in June at his Downey home following a nine-month investigation into weapons sales by the 18th Street Gang.
Marroquin sold weapons to undercover officers in September, October and November of 2006.
Federal agents raided a junkyard owned by Marroquin in South Gate and his Cudahy restaurant, Marroking Seafood and Bar, where they found gang photos and writings.
Under the terms of his plea deal, Marroquin was sentenced to eight years for each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Marroquin, who had been free on $260,000 bail, was immediately taken into custody to begin serving his term.
Arellano -- also free on bail -- was given until Tuesday to surrender for sentencing. She is expected to be sentenced to four years in prison.
"He's going to get eight years, which we feel is a strong sentence," said Deputy District Attorney Eric Harmon. "And she will get four years because she had relatively no criminal record."
Marroquin, a onetime 18th Street gang member turned anti-gang activist, founded No Guns in 1996.
As part of the city's L.A. Bridges gang intervention program, the organization received $1.5 million in municipal funds before its subcontract was canceled last year amid allegations that Marroquin hired many of his relatives at No Guns -- including his son, Hector "Little Weasel" Marroquin.
In 1998, Marroquin was tried and acquitted of weapons violations.
Prior to his arrest last June, Marroquin was also arrested in 2006 on weapons charges. His son, an 18th Street gang member, pleaded no contest to home-invasion robbery last year and was sentenced to state prison.
Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin, 51, and co-defendant Sylvia Arellano, 25, entered pleas before Judge Steven Van Sicklen on three counts of manufacture, distribution and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon.
Arellano also pleaded no contest to machine gun conversion and possessing a silencer and admitted that the crime was committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
Marroquin was arrested in June at his Downey home following a nine-month investigation into weapons sales by the 18th Street Gang.
Marroquin sold weapons to undercover officers in September, October and November of 2006.
Federal agents raided a junkyard owned by Marroquin in South Gate and his Cudahy restaurant, Marroking Seafood and Bar, where they found gang photos and writings.
Under the terms of his plea deal, Marroquin was sentenced to eight years for each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Marroquin, who had been free on $260,000 bail, was immediately taken into custody to begin serving his term.
Arellano -- also free on bail -- was given until Tuesday to surrender for sentencing. She is expected to be sentenced to four years in prison.
"He's going to get eight years, which we feel is a strong sentence," said Deputy District Attorney Eric Harmon. "And she will get four years because she had relatively no criminal record."
Marroquin, a onetime 18th Street gang member turned anti-gang activist, founded No Guns in 1996.
As part of the city's L.A. Bridges gang intervention program, the organization received $1.5 million in municipal funds before its subcontract was canceled last year amid allegations that Marroquin hired many of his relatives at No Guns -- including his son, Hector "Little Weasel" Marroquin.
In 1998, Marroquin was tried and acquitted of weapons violations.
Prior to his arrest last June, Marroquin was also arrested in 2006 on weapons charges. His son, an 18th Street gang member, pleaded no contest to home-invasion robbery last year and was sentenced to state prison.
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of course...better for his boys if lesser gangs and especially innocent citizens turn in their guns 0 -
It's just like the anti-gun people.
"No guns" applies to everyone else but themselves and their bodyguards.0 -
I tell ya....for $1.5 million, I could take a lot of guns off the streets! I'd need a bigger safe though! [;)] 0 -
"He's going to get eight years, which we feel is a strong sentence," said Deputy District Attorney Eric Harmon.
He will have eight years to teach his fellow inmates how to build their own machineguns.0 -
I see this case as less about guns and more about the fact that SOMEONE in GOVERNMENT gave this guy $1.5 MILLION. As we all know government loves to hand out pork and earmarks and now you know where they go. I would love to find out how he got that money. Who is his congressman/women ? This was a gang member who got $1.5 million of YOUR TAX DOLLARS !!! 0 -
former gang member? i dont think so...once a gang member always a gang member...the only way out is to die!bleeding heart politicians just wont accept that some people can change their spots, they were born scum, they will live their lives as scum, and they will die scum! 0 -
had to be Demacrate[}:)][}:)], god knows people can change (for the worse). 0
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