Juvenile gang graduates to new level of crime

School officials concentrate on intervention

MOSES LAKE — The Grant County Sheriff's Office last week stated a juvenile gang concentrated in Larson Subdivision has become more criminally prolific, including recent vehicle and firearm thefts.

In the past year, the gang of mostly 14 to 17 year olds, known as "Poco Loco," has had members arrested for assault, burglary, robbery and property crimes.

"They are becoming more and more brazen and violent," Chief Deputy John Turley said Thursday. "We want to try and put a stop to it before they get too carried away."

The gang exists as a loosely connected group of about 20 juveniles, creating their own rules and activities, Turley said.

"We arrested 10 of them all in one swoop one day for robbery, burglary and assault," Turley said. "But they only spent two days in juvenile and they were back out on the street."

The sheriff's office has linked the gang to a March 7 burglary in southern Grant County. Seven firearms and several rounds of ammunition were taken in the burglary.

On March 8, a Warden Police Department officer arrested three juveniles in possession of stolen property from the previous day's burglary. After being arrested, information provided by the juveniles led to a search warrant being executed on a residence located in the Larson Subdivision, the sheriff's office stated.

Authorities did not recover the stolen firearms in the search.

The next day, the sheriff's office investigated an abandoned vehicle in a farm field about nine miles northeast of Moses Lake. The vehicle, a 2002 Cadillac DeVille, had been painted with the known "Poco Loco" gang lettering, "PL SUR 13."

Investigators found the gas tank fill cover open and fabric material hanging from the tank. The vehicle was partially burned, but was processed at the scene for forensic evidence. It was determined to be the suspect vehicle in the Warden burglary and was reportedly stolen from the Lakeside Drive area of Moses Lake, the sheriff's office reported.

"They're not stealing (guns) to sell, they are stealing them to commit other crimes," Turley said. "They have absolutely no qualms about shooting somebody. (Poco Loco) is the only one we're extremely concerned about right now."

This type of gang, Turley said, is the most dangerous for law enforcement. They are held to a much lower degree of accountability within the criminal justice system because they are juvenile, he said.

"They suffer absolutely no consequences," Turley said. "If they were adults they would spend some time in prison."

Capt. Jim Jenkins, with the Moses Lake Police Department, said juvenile gang activity within the city has been limited to graffiti.

Local school officials believe juvenile gang activity has been decreasing.

There are about five gangs with a presence at Moses Lake High School. "Poco Loco" is the largest, school officials said.

High school assistant principal James Yonko said their policy prohibits gang-related activities and attire at school.

"(Gang members) are not bringing it here," Yonko said Thursday of the behaviors typically associated with gangs. "It's kind of a comfort zone for them here and they don't want to lose that."

Gang activity trends up and down over time, Yonko explained. Currently, the trend is downward, he said.

Most gang members respect the school system, he said, and they make an effort to co-exist with members of other gangs and fellow students. Of the roughly 1,800 students at the high school, Yonko estimated there are less than 100 gang members.

The school has one full-time police officer on school grounds during the day along with two security officers.

"A lot of (the gang members) want to be here," said Andy Nevarez, one of the high school's security officers. "They know if they step out of line they are not going to be part of our population here."

School employees are trained to spot gang behavior and clothing. They learn to use preventive measures to ensure a safe learning environment.

Both Nevarez and Yonko said a rumored gang fight in October, causing some parents to pull students out of school, was "totally blown out of proportion." They attributed the incident to student gossip.

School officials and law enforcement agree the juveniles join gangs because of peer pressure and a desire to belong to a group.