There were 88 people arrested on felony charges – including two for premeditated murder – after a multi-jurisdictional investigation into violent San Joaquin County street gangs dubbed “Operation Hybrid Havoc” concluded this week.
The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced the conclusion of the joint operation between the Stockton Police Department’s Gang Violence Suppression Unit, the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprise Unit, and the California Department of Justice.
In addition to the arrests – including of those that authorities claim were responsible for the slaying of a 31-year-old elementary special education teacher and baseball coach at Edison High School – authorities seized 58 guns and a host of illegal narcotics including MDMA, cocaine, methamphetamine, cannabis, and fentanyl.
“This community deserves the opportunity to thrive and flourish, and today the people of San Joaquin County are safer with these organized criminal elements off the streets,” Verber Salazar said. “Those who commit harm, violence and jeopardize the safety of this community will be held accountable.”
The gangs that were targeted were identified by both the Stockton Police Department’s gang unit and the District Attorney’s Office, and additional resources were requested from the California Department of Justice.
Attorney General Rob Bonta was on hand on Thursday at a press conference to speak to the collaborative efforts that authorities hope will help make San Joaquin County streets a little bit safer.
“Collaborative law enforcement efforts such as operation Hybrid Havoc are a key component in our efforts to protect Californians and public safety,” Bonta said. “I am thankful for the work of our agents and our partners in Stockton. Today, we are announcing that we have not only taken dangerous individuals, illegal guns, and drugs off of Stockton streets – but also helped bring closure to families grieving for the loss of their loved ones.
“While we recognize that the trauma of gun violence and crime continues to be felt across our communities, today we helped the Stockton community take an important step toward healing.”
Of the 58 firearms that were seized as part of the two-phase operation that began on May 18 and concluded on June 1, 12 were determined to be “ghost guns” – guns that don’t possess any sort of serial number making them impossible to trace back to the rightful honor – and 10 were classified as “assault weapons.”
More than two pounds of MDMA – also known as “ecstasy” or “molly” – were recovered by investigators, as was nearly a pound of cocaine, 3.5 ounces of methamphetamine, 3.8 pounds of illegal cannabis, 2.5 ounces of heroin, and nearly two ounces of fentanyl.
If 1,000 micrograms of fentanyl is a lethal dose in a person without an opioid tolerance, the seizure of 54 grams of fentanyl represents enough of the drug to kill approximately 54,000 people – more than the cities of Lathrop, Ripon, and Escalon combined.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
