City Attorney Seeks To Curb Gang Activity, Files Lawsuit Against South LA Motel

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — City Attorney Mike Feuer Friday announced a lawsuit has been filed against the owner of a south Los Angeles motel known as a popular place for criminal gang activity.

Feuer's office is seeking an injunction and court-ordered improvements to the Las Palmas Motel, located at 7913 South Main Street, aiming to curb alleged rampant narcotics sales and gang activity, authorities said.

"The Property has been, for years, a notorious stronghold and refuge for members and associates of the Florencia 13 criminal street gang and members/associates of other gangs with which Florencia 13 co-exists," says the complaint. "These gang members/associates — often armed — come and go from the Property at will without intervention by the Property's owner."

It also states the motel has become a "safe" place for gang members to allegedly commit crimes, including selling drugs, dumping and stripping stolen cars in the parking lot and dragging victims off the street to the motel to commit a robbery at knife-point.

Authorities believe the activity has created public safety issues, particularly for the children living at the motel and students at the Fremont High School and 75th Street Elementary School, which are within three blocks of the location.

"My office will do everything in our power to make neighborhoods safe," Feuer said.

The injunction seeks to stop the motel's owner Galo Naranjo, Jr. and his employees from possessing, selling or manufacturing narcotics on the property. The lawsuit also requires court-ordered physical and managerial improvements including Internet-connected video monitoring system accessible by the Los Angeles Police Department, improved lighting, a secure gate at the parking lot entry, improved screening and registration procedures, armed licensed security guards and the prohibition of known gang members from accessing the property.