County Attorney Press Releases

Northeast Residents Protected By a New Gang Injunction Against Members Of The Bloods

13 active members of the gang covered. Five others are scheduled to challenge the injunction in court

            El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez today announced that a gang injunction in Northeast El Paso is in effect against 13 members of the bloods street gang. Five other defendants will challenge the injunction in a trial to be held in March of next year.

El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez said this afternoon that he believes this new gang injunction will give northeast residents some peace of mind.

"By restricting the activities of these gang members, we expect to see a drop in criminal activity in Northeast El Paso. I would like to thank El Paso Police Department for its support in getting this gang injunction implemented and for enforcing it," Rodríguez said.

The gang members under the civil injunction are almost half of the 27 individuals that were first sued in March 20, 2009 in an effort to curb crime and gang activity in Northeast El Paso. The original petition listed individuals who, according to police records, regularly associated to commit organized criminal activity, including aggravated assaults, burglaries, robberies, weapon offenses, and drug related transactions.

Since then, eight of the defendants have voluntarily agreed to the terms of the injunction, while five have been put under the restrictions of the injunction for failing to appear before the court (defaulted). Nine others have been removed from the lawsuit for different reasons.

The eight defendants that have voluntarily accepted the terms of the injunction by signing agreements with the County Attorney's Office are:

1. Eyitayo Araromi (under a 2 year injunction)
2. Olaniyi Araromi (under a 2 year injunction)
3. Hector Carachure (under a 5 year injunction)
4. Deshaun Jones (under a 5 year injunction)
5. Fernando Perches (under a 5 year injunction)
6. Markus Reed (under a 2 year injunction)
7. Darius Terrell Shannon (under a 2 year injunction)
8. Stanley Simmons (under a 5 year injunction)

Five additional individuals have been placed under the restrictions set forth by a 2-year injunction for failing to appear before the court (included in the injunction by default):   

1. Cyrus Jamal Arnold
2. Jacob Arreola
3. Teandrea Barnes
4. Travell Gomez
5. Jackieray Charles Green

The gang injunction in place effectively increases punishment for defendants who commit crimes within the 2 designated "safety zones." The "Triangle Safety Zone" which begins at the intersection of Gateway North and Dyer and encompasses Gateway North on the West, Dyer on the east, and Hondo Pass on the north, and the "Patriot Safety Zone", that encompasses Transmountain Drive on the South, Gateway North on the west, McCombs on the east, and Sean Haggerty on the north.

             The new gang injunction forbids defendants from carrying out certain activities considered a public nuisance within the "safety zones," such as:

• Associating, standing, sitting, walking, driving, bicycling, gathering, or appearing anywhere in public view or in the same vehicle with any other Defendant (there are exceptions).
• Consuming alcoholic beverages, at any time, on public property.
• Knowingly possessing indelible markers or pens, aerosol paint, or an etching or engraving device, which may be used to damage, deface, or mark private or public property.
• Spray painting or otherwise marking graffiti on any public place or private property.
• Confronting, intimidating, harassing, challenging, provoking, assaulting, and/or battering any individual inside the safety zones.
• Knowingly using, possessing, and or selling illegal drugs or narcotics.
• Remaining, walking, running, standing, driving, or riding about, in, or upon any public place within the safety zones between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (there are exceptions).
• Entering at anytime a public or private school or attending any school sponsored functions unless he is a student, works for the school, or is required to be there by a family attending school (Other exceptions apply).
• Getting within 50 feet of the property known as "La Chit Chat Lounge" (4808 Dyer), including the parking area.

El Paso County José R. Rodríguez also announced today that nine of the original defendants have been removed from the lawsuit (non-suited) due to different factors: 

1. Briant Berryman
2. Brittany Rene Butler
3. Kimberly Crawford
4. Stephanie Annette Cruz
5. Keshia Flanders
6. Janise Jones
7. Rogelio López
8. Elgie Munn
9. David Maurice Milner

At this point, only petitions against five alleged members of the blood gang remain pending. These individuals are:

1. Omar Arreola
2. Phillip Bobby Berryman
3. Brian Christopher Hairston
4. Eric Antwan Stokes

Daniel Odom* (Has not been found)

The trial to determine the implementation of the injunction against those defendants was scheduled for Monday October 4, 2009, but has now been re-scheduled for March 8, 2010 at 8:30 a.m.

The continuance on the case for those 5 defendants was granted this morning after a motion filed by defense counsel. At the hearing, the County Attorney's Office did not oppose the continuance of the trial because it involves a relatively small number of defendants and one of them is believed to have fled the country.

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Bloods Gang Injunction Update Press Release.pdf