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Suspected Manatee County Gang Leader Gets 7 Years In Prison

By Jason Odra, TBO.com

Published: September 17, 2007

Updated: 09/17/2007 04:22 pm

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BRADENTON - The man suspected of leading a violent street gang in Manatee County was sentenced to seven years in prison on a racketeering charge today.

Attorney General Bill McCollum considered the sentencing of Jose Angel Lopez, 19, of Bradenton, a "significant victory in the fight against gang violence with the guilty plea," his office said in a statement.

The Brown Pride Locos terrorized Manatee County through robberies, assaults, violence against law enforcement and other dangerous crimes, the attorney general's office said.

"My office is committed to stopping these organized groups of criminals from running rampant through our communities," McCollum said. "This is a huge victory in our cooperative efforts to run these street gangs out of our state and bring an end to their reign of terror."

Lopez, known as "Charlie Brown," was arrested in January along with Frank "Magoo" J. Avalos Jr., Justino "Crazy" Santana Jr., Fernando "Freddy" Chavez, Jose "Payaso" Luis Rodriguez, Eric "E" J. Santiago, and Alberto Gutierrez.

Two other men with ties to Brown Pride Locos, "Pistol" Pete Garcia and Pedro "Perico," were arrested in late February.

The arrests were a joint effort by the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and Bradenton police.

The men were charged with criminal racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering, a new strategy employed by state prosecutors.

Using the racketeering charge, authorities target the gang as an organized criminal enterprise, often useful when witnesses or victims are unwilling to testify against the gang members, the attorney general's office said.

The racketeering charge against Lopez carried a maximum 30-year prison sentence.

"This is a significant step in the right direction as we continue to dismantle this type of organized crime," Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube said.

TBO.com editor Jason Odra can be reached at (813) 221-5788.

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