Abatement action seeks to shut down South Los Angeles drug house

Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office                                          Aug. 26, 2010

Abatement action seeks to shut down South Los Angeles drug house

LOS ANGELES – The residents of a South Los Angeles house – characterized by authorities as a gang and narcotics stronghold – have been served with an abatement action, the District Attorney's Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Rory Wagner of the Code Enforcement Section said the action is for the purpose of abating criminal activity at 14535 South Bahama Avenue in Compton. The property is located in an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County.

Three men who live in the home and 20 others are named in the civil lawsuit. They are accused of permitting illegal narcotics sales of rock cocaine and marijuana by members of the Campanella Park Piru criminal street gang.

Through this civil action, the District Attorney's Office is seeking a preliminary injunction that would prohibit the sale of controlled substances on the premise and prohibit gang members from accessing the property.

The injunction would also place the property under the control of the Superior Court. Additionally, each defendant would be assessed for a maximum civil penalty of $25,000. The defendants would also be required to pay back investigative costs incurred by law enforcement agencies involved in the execution of the action.

The public nuisance allegations include the presence of "lookouts" and "runners" and the violent and intimidating behavior of the individuals who gather at or around the immediate property. The civil action further alleges that the defendants have created a violent and unsafe atmosphere for the surrounding community.

Since 2005, 20 known and documented Campanella Park Piru gang members have been arrested or detained at the house for narcotics possession or sales. Several have also been the victims of gang-related violence on the premise.

The Campanella Park Piru gang has plagued the City of Compton for decades by selling narcotics, committing acts of violence, stealing cars, intimidating witnesses and tagging the area with gang graffiti, according to the complaint.

The abatement action was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Aug. 23. The case No. is BC444259. The defendants have 30 days to respond to the court.

sdm

Shiara Dávila-Morales
Media Relations Division
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
(213) 974-6724
(213) 974-3528
http://da.lacounty.gov