LAPD officer death: Alleged F-13 gang members, suspect's girlfriend facing federal charges
LOS ANGELES - Four people who were arrested in connection to the off-duty Los Angeles police officer's death in South Los Angeles are now facing federal charges.
According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, three gang members and a "gang associate" are accused of violating a federal racketeering statute for their roles in the death of officer Fernando Arroyos.
Federal prosecutors announced they are charging the following suspects:
- Luis "Lil J" Alfredo De La Rosa Rios, 29, an F13 member
- Ernesto "Gonzo" Cisneros, 22, an F13 member
- Jesse "Skinny Jack" or "Flaco" Contreras, 34, an F13 member
- Haylee Marie Grisham, 18, Rios' girlfriend
According to the USAO, two of the suspects confronted Arroyos and his girlfriend on January 10, robbed them and then shot the officer to death.
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All four suspects are charged with violent crime in aid of racketeering, USAO said. Prosecutors explained in a press release that F13 is a large "multi-generational street gang that previously has been the subject of federal prosecutions, including two large racketeering cases."
Because the officer was murdered during the robbery, USAO explained that the charges against the suspects carry a possible death penalty – if convicted – and a possible minimum sentence of life in federal prison without the possibility of parole.
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