Feds bring charges against Latin Kings' leadership

Federal authorities' attempt to dismantle the leadership of the Latin Kings gained new momentum as federal authorities today announced charges against the street gang's highest-ranking leader outside of prison, and 14 of its other leaders.

The U.S. attorney's office has scheduled a 2 p.m. press conference to announce a racketeering indictment against the gang's hierarchy, mostly from Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. The group sought to enrich themselves through the drug trade and preserved their power through "acts of murder, attempted murder" and other crimes, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.

Among those charged was Augustin Zambrano, the Latin Kings' "Corona," or reputed boss, and a collection of leaders under him. Zambrano and others also allegedly threatened members of an illegal documents ring in Little Village with violence if they were not given regular kickbacks, according to prosecutors.

Latin Kings leaders instructed the gang's membership to shoot traitors who cooperated with law enforcement on sight, according to the charges.

Prosecutors as well as leaders of the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are expected to make the announcement.

Zambrano, known as "Big Tino" and "the Old Man," also was charged with conspiracy for distributing a substance containing hydrocodone, identified in court documents as Vicodin.
He is identified in an FBI affidavit in the case as the gang's "overall leader." Two others who hold the Corona title for the gang already are in federal prison, making Zambrano the country's highest-ranking Latin King outside of prison.

The charges against Zambrano come following a long federal crackdown against the gang known as "Operation Broken Crown," led by the ATF.

That investigation used high-level informants and saw its "Supreme Inca," or number two leader, Fernando "Ace" King convicted last year and charged again today. Jesse Guajarado, a chapter leader from the suburbs who secretly recorded gang leadership meetings, testified against King at his trial last year.

Chicago remains the Latin Kings' national power center, authorities have said.

As in that case, Zambrano apparently was taken down by a cooperating witness from within the organization. The witness has been a Latin King since 1993 and held his own national position, according to the affidavit in the Zambrano case.

In November 2007, Zambrano allegedly gave the witness 100 Vicodin pills to sell, and federal agents helped the witness make a secret recording when Zambrano was given his share of cash for the purported sale. The witness went on to record another undisclosed individual involved in trafficking, the complaint states, and the pair discussed moving drugs for Zambrano.