People v. Escandon CA2/3

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. The Facts

A. The prosecution case 1. The Avenues gang and the Mexican Mafia In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Avenues gang controlled the area patrolled by LAPD’s Northeast Division. The cliques of the Avenues gang included Drew Street, Five Seven, Division, 43rd, and Assassins. In the early 2000s, the Avenues gang was under the umbrella of the Mexican Mafia, a prison gang that consisted of 100 to 150 validated members. The Mexican Mafia ordered predominantly Hispanic streets gangs like the Avenues to collect taxes or extort drug dealers and local businesses. The money collected was funneled back to the Mexican Mafia. In the early 2000s, the Avenues gang collected more than $30,000 per week for the Mexican Mafia. The Drew Street area was considered lucrative for tax collection because its proximity to a freeway facilitated drug sales. Escandon was a member of the Drew Street clique of the Avenues gang with the moniker of “Lokito.” Between 2005 to 2007, he worked as a top-level tax collector for the Mexican Mafia. 2. Murder of Frank Barajas, Jr. and attempted murder of Alfred Salinas, Jr. On January 14, 2003, at 1:30 a.m., LAPD…