Judge enforces gang injunction against 55 in Orange
The Superior Court ruling bars them from associating, displaying gang signs or acting as lookouts.
BY EUGENE W.FIELDS
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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A Superior Court judge signed a preliminary injunction Friday afternoon against 55 alleged members and associates of an Orange street gang in an effort to break up the gang.
The injunction against the Orange Varrio Cypress gang, is like the one signed against its rival gang, the Orange County Criminals, signed in July.
The injunction issued Friday forbids those tied to the OVC from such thing as associating with one other.
The injunction also forbids the alleged gang members and associates from intimidating others; carrying guns or dangerous weapons; blocking free passage; using gang hand signs; wearing gang-affiliated clothes; carrying burglary tools; acting as lookouts; or breaking a 10 p.m. curfew, even for adults.
The gang injunction is the sixth in the county. Others were served in Santa Ana, Anaheim, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente and in Orange.
The injunction creates a "safety zone," 3.78 square miles in three chunks, two largely in Old Towne and an a third in West Orange.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, from January 2005 to December 2008 there were 16 attempted murders, 53 firearm or dangerous weapons violations, 29 assaults crimes, 35 fights, 82 drug or paraphernalia-related incidents and 53 graffiti crimes in the safety zone.
"These gang injunctions are put in place specifically in neighborhoods where there's been a great amount of gang activity," said Farrah Emami, a DA spokeswoman. "And the residents in those neighborhoods have complained to law enforcement that the gang problem is keeping them from enjoying their quality of life."
"Members of the OVC gang have committed various crimes and been a nuisance to the community for many years,'' said Orange Sgt. Dan Adams.
A Superior Court judge could add another 44 alleged gang members or associates to the injunction during an April 10 hearing.
Jeffrey Villalba, 19, is one of 44. He told a judge that he works full time at Fry's Electronics in Anaheim and attends Santiago Canyon College in Orange.
After the hearing, Villalba said he was not a gang member. He had served a three-month sentence in Orange County Juvenile Hall for street terrorism in 2005.
"Just because I live in the neighborhood and grew up there, it doesn't mean I'm a gang member," he said. "There is no way I can leave right now. I'm supporting my mom and helping my sister."
Anna Cooper and her 15-year-old son are also among the 44. Cooper said they were listed because her husband is serving 25 years to life in prison.
"They have a picture of me in a car with a gang member, who is my husband," Cooper said. "They wanted me to sign a STEP Card, which says that you're a gang member, but I ripped it up because I'm not a gang member."
Cooper said her concern was that if she and her son were added to the injunction, then they might be split up.
"Does that mean I can't be with my son?" Cooper said. "Does that mean that if I'm driving somewhere with my son that we're going to get pulled over and we're both going to go to jail?"
Emami said people who believe they have been incorrectly listed in the injunction can petition to be removed. She also said that a situation like Cooper's would not necessarily be cause for arrest or separation.
"The injunction is not in place to keep brothers and sisters apart," Emami said. "The reason we enjoin people is because gang members commit crimes together."