Soperry Chea, 18, was placed on the LAPD's most wanted list after investigators say he stabbed a rival gang member to death in downtown Los Angeles and fled the state three years ago. Officers arrested Chea on Tuesday when he returned to visit some of his old Valley haunts. "Gang members, drugs and guns," Bratton said. "It all comes together - the holy trinity."
Bratton made the announcement during a news conference at the 77th Street Community Police Station in South Los Angeles. Joined by U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the mayor and other officials, Bratton announced several other gang arrests and indictments. The gathering was largely a show of force and solidarity between the different levels of government. The city and federal officials revealed a 10-count indictment naming a dozen members and associated with the Grape Street Crips gang, alleging distribution of the drug PCP in the Watts area. Chea, however, was caught without help from the federal government. Los Angeles police started searching for him just weeks after the April 17, 2005, slaying of Harry Yang, 21, who had once been a member of a rival gang. Yang was stabbed to death during a Cambodian New Year celebration. Chea, also known as "Babyface," was 16 at the time.
Police found the slaying weapon - a knife that had been hurled over a nearby fence - but couldn't find Chea. He left the county almost immediately, and later left the state, said Detective Alan Solomon, a homicide investigator for the LAPD's Asian Crime Taskforce. Van Nuys officers learned that Chea might be in town and recognized him at a fast-food restaurant. They later arrested him at an apartment complex in the 14000 block of Valerio Street. As Chea has been caught, Bratton added a new gang member to round out his department's 10 most-wanted list: Gildardo Peña, a 28-year-old member of the Toonerville gang. Peña killed 45-year-old Donald Nelson on Nov. 6, 2005, in Tujunga for talking to police, Bratton said at the formal announcement.
Bratton made the announcement during a news conference at the 77th Street Community Police Station in South Los Angeles. Joined by U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the mayor and other officials, Bratton announced several other gang arrests and indictments. The gathering was largely a show of force and solidarity between the different levels of government. The city and federal officials revealed a 10-count indictment naming a dozen members and associated with the Grape Street Crips gang, alleging distribution of the drug PCP in the Watts area. Chea, however, was caught without help from the federal government. Los Angeles police started searching for him just weeks after the April 17, 2005, slaying of Harry Yang, 21, who had once been a member of a rival gang. Yang was stabbed to death during a Cambodian New Year celebration. Chea, also known as "Babyface," was 16 at the time.
Police found the slaying weapon - a knife that had been hurled over a nearby fence - but couldn't find Chea. He left the county almost immediately, and later left the state, said Detective Alan Solomon, a homicide investigator for the LAPD's Asian Crime Taskforce. Van Nuys officers learned that Chea might be in town and recognized him at a fast-food restaurant. They later arrested him at an apartment complex in the 14000 block of Valerio Street. As Chea has been caught, Bratton added a new gang member to round out his department's 10 most-wanted list: Gildardo Peña, a 28-year-old member of the Toonerville gang. Peña killed 45-year-old Donald Nelson on Nov. 6, 2005, in Tujunga for talking to police, Bratton said at the formal announcement.
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