50 Arrested In White-Supremacist Gang Crackdown
SANTA ANA (CBS) — About 50 people were arrested Thursday as part of a crackdown on white-supremacist gangs in Orange County.
Federal and state officials announced the arrests as the culmination in Operation Stormfront, named after "Stormfront", a supremacist Web site.
The operation was spearheaded by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the District Attorney's of Orange County, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Attorney's Office and the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
Various officials went undercover as part of the sting operation.
According to authorities, the focus of the investigation was drugs and guns.
Fourteen were indicted on extortion, conspiracy and solicitation of aggravated assault and murder charges, according to prosecutors. Twenty others were arrested on probation and parole violations and one was arrested for suspicion of attempted murder.
Orange County DA Tony Rackauckas called the operation "the largest-ever takedown of white supremacist prison and street gang criminals in Orange County."
The arrests also included a married couple, Wayne and Ruthie Marshall. Between them, they're accused of a host of felony charges including robbery, extortion and assault conspiracy.
Some of the gang members were also involved in identity theft and mortgage fraud, according to prosecutors.
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