Shooting Arrests Still Pending

By Joshua Wachtel

Oct. 12 -- None of the eight suspects arrested in connection to a gang-related shooting spree in the Pico neighborhood this summer face prosecution, although other charges stemming from their arrests have been brought against two of them.

Seven of the suspects were arrested in connection to a shooting spree that stung the crime-riddled neighborhood between May 9 and June 5, but resulted in no injuries. The eighth arrest was in connection to last month's homicide of Jalonnie Carter.

It’s not unusual for these cases to take time to prepare, said Lt. Frank Fabrega, spokesman for the SMPD.

“In some cases they are still collecting evidence. In other cases all the evidence is not back from the crime lab,” Fabrega said. “It can take over a year to get the evidence back. It’s a priority but there could be 9-10 murders in L.A. in a weekend that have priority also. The sheriff’s prioritize cases.”

Three of the eight arrests were made by a Santa Monica Police Department SWAT team in a May raid. Officers in riot gear -- including helmets, shields, high-powered guns and gas masks – raided three homes.

“That’s usually the mode of operation -- they arrest a lot of people to look like they are doing their job,” Oscar de la Torre, the executive director of the Pico Youth and Family Center, said. “It’s like George Bush’s preemptive strikes.”

The two men charged were Richard De La Cruz and Andrew Stephaun Alexander. Cruz was arrested in a SWAT raid and charged with violation of probation. Alexander, arrested separately, was charged with possession of a concealed firearm in his vehicle.

Of the eight arrests, three were declined by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office for insufficient evidence, said Sandy Gibbons, a spokesperson for the DA’s office. They were Terrence Brown, Rodney Lenny Crayton, and Arthur Abel Archuletta. In three other arrests of Ashia Boldware, Kevin Lamarr Crosby and Marshall Lipps, the police brought no new case to the DA. That left only the arrest of Alexander to generate a prosecution on new charges.

He was charged with havng a concealed firearm in a vehicle and carrying an unregistered firearm, Gibbons said. The second count was dismissed but he received six days in jail, 36 months probation, and 300 hours of community service for the concealed weapon charge to which he pleaded no contest June 19, Gibbons said.

Crosby had his “parole revoked and was returned to custody August 5,” said Russ Heimerich, information officer of the California Department of Corrections.

Archuletta was arrested in connection with the September 2 killing of Carter. But the district attorney “declined the case for insufficient evidence,” said Gibbons. Subsequently, Archuletta was returned to prison September 11 in the parole re-entry program for a controlled substance according to CDC records.

Last spring’s shooting spree has prompted police to step up patrols of the area, including helicopter patrols.

“It acts as the eyes of 20 officers. We are using it more and more frequently,” Fabrega said.

Reverberations were felt in the Pico Neighborhood Association, which saw a defeat of six incumbents seeking reelection. The newly elected members ran on a slate calling for more opportunities for area youth and more involvement from the city.