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19 charged in alleged Mexican Mafia conspiracy to kill L.A. rap artist

BBG News

As a film enthusiast, I found myself reading about an intriguing story unfolding in Los Angeles County yesterday. Nineteen individuals are being accused of conspiring to carry out a hit on a rapper, allegedly due to a dispute that escalated when the artist apparently crossed someone associated with the Mexican Mafia, a powerful Latino gang network operating within the prison system.

A court document submitted in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleges that a suspected Mexican Mafia associate named Manuel “Snuffy” Quintero made a directive for Nelson Abrego’s assassination in the year 2022. Abrego, known by his stage name Swifty Blue, was targeted according to this claim.

In the lawsuit, authorities outlined a vast network of illegal activity that unfolded through messages on TikTok and phone calls made from jail, involving prisoners from Kern County, inmates in downtown LA jails, and gang members based in Paramount – a city in southeast LA County where both Quintero and Abrego reside.

49-year-old Quintero was apprehended on Wednesday without having submitted a plea at this point. It remains unclear from the court documents if he currently has legal representation. With a history in the Paramount Varrio gang, Quintero has previously served prison sentences for assault, manufacturing methamphetamine, and false imprisonment, according to court records.

2022’s New Year’s Eve saw Giuseppe “Clever” Leyva, who is said to be a subordinate of Quintero, inform an informant that he had alerted gang members in Paramount, Compton, and downtown L.A., indicating they were to attack Abrego immediately upon sight, according to the complaint.

As a passionate cinephile, I find myself currently detained under federal charges unrelated to my film-loving hobby. The accusations against me involve selling drugs and firearms within Imperial County. In March, I admitted guilt in a separate case concerning the trafficking of methamphetamine, but my sentencing is still pending. Regrettably, my legal representative in this federal matter has yet to respond to my request for comment.

According to the informant’s question about whether Snuffs was angry with the rapper, Leyva reportedly replied by expressing disdain for Abrego with the phrase “I don’t care for him.

California

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How the Mexican Mafia’s ‘Pomona Mike’ made L.A.’s federal jail his fiefdom

In court, Michael Lerma, aged 68, was found guilty of racketeering and murder. The trial revealed that he held significant control over local gangs in Pomona and exerted power within a wing of a federal jail in downtown Los Angeles. Under his leadership, illegal activities such as drug sales, stabbings, and at least one homicide were orchestrated.

It’s unclear why Quintero was angry with Abrego, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Back in 2024, when I sat down with The Times for an interview, I chose not to delve into any rumored conflicts with the Mexican Mafia, or what some might call “prison politics.” Instead, our conversation focused on my music and creative journey.

Abrego previously said his music resonates with people because “everybody wants to be a gangster.”

In the year 2024, I found myself expressing that regardless of whether one is a legal professional, a law enforcement officer, or simply a student on their way to school, there’s a common desire among us all – to be strong and fearless, like the larger-than-life characters often portrayed as ‘big, bad, and tough.’

California

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Swifty Blue raps about L.A. gang life — and finds himself dodging real-life violence

Nelson Abrego’s rapidly advancing career as Swifty Blue has caught the interest of the Mexican mafia. Reportedly, he encountered demands for protection money and an assault in prison.

Approximately eight months following their conversation, as stated in the complaint, Leyva cautioned another individual via a TikTok post to keep their distance from the rapper.

Here’s a bit of insider info for you, so you don’t get confused by online rumors: Swifty’s career has come to an end.” (First person perspective as a trusted source sharing information)

According to reports, Leyva said he had spoken with the rapper, attempting to offer advice, but it seemed like he wasn’t paying attention. Now, the rapper is reportedly facing difficulties and experiencing hardships while being held at Men’s Central Jail.

In November 2023, Abrego found himself in jail due to a gun possession allegation. A fellow inmate named Onesimo “Vamps” Gonzalez, who shared a cell block with the rapper, contacted Abrego’s mother and asked her to query an acquaintance about whether “the one who performs music” was still reliable, as stated in the affidavit.

Gonzalez’s mother hung up. When her son called back, she allegedly said, “He’s no good.”

In this case, both Gonzalez (the son) and his mother, Dominga Gonzalez (aged 66), are accused of being involved in the conspiracy. Gonzalez had previously been taken into custody, while Dominga was apprehended on Wednesday at her residence in Bellflower, as stated by the FBI.

Two days following their conversation, an inmate named Jonathan “Dreamer” Quevedo placed a call from another prison, as per the complaint, to a man detained in Kern County who was illegally using a mobile phone.

California

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Inside the alleged Mexican Mafia plot to smuggle heroin with an L.A. jail deputy

Deputy Michael Meiser, who works within a specific sheriff’s department team focusing on gang activities within the prison system, has denied accusations that he attempted to illegally transport over a pound of heroin, acting as an agent for the “leaders” or influential figures in the Mexican Mafia.

Following the reference to “Swifty Blue,” it’s said that Quevedo inquired from Jacob “Eagle” David if he remembered a rapper of the same race, who once found himself in a shower-like situation.

Investigators thought they had found a clue linked to Jamie Brugada Valdez, famously known by his stage name MoneySign Suede, who tragically lost his life through stabbing in the showers at the Soledad Correctional Training Facility back in 2023.

In response, David, who had been sentenced for carjacking and robbery, reportedly stated that the final outcome should still be consistent.

On the following day, according to the statement, David directed Quevedo to convey to the aggressors: “Treat that matter with bias… I’m sure you understand the court term; well, this matter is to be treated with bias.

Quevedo allegedly confirmed it was “already in motion.”

California

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The Mexican Mafia Tapes: A mobster helped the feds arrest drug dealers. Local cops suspected him of homicide

Initially, Ralph Rocha was under suspicion for the murder of Lucio Rodarte, whose lifeless body was discovered in a secluded alleyway, with a blindfold, gag, and handcuffs. Subsequently, Rocha decided to cooperate with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as an informant.

At exactly 5:50 the following morning, inmates Adrian “Slick” Bueno, Andrew “Largo” Shinaia, and Jude “Crazy” Valle were reportedly found inside Abrego’s cell, according to the complaint. Meanwhile, Michael “Weasel” Ortiz allegedly blocked a camera nearby, allowing Bueno, Shinaia, and Valle to assault the rapper violently and inflict injuries, as claimed by prosecutors.

Approximately five hours past, Quevedo phoned a lady from detention and requested she relay to David in prison that “the old chap has completed his interrogation,” as stated in the complaint.

Quoted by Quevedo, he expressed that the performance wasn’t particularly great. He hinted that they might perform on a different level (around the 4000th floor) of this facility in the near future.

In my critique as a film-enthusiast-turned-sleuth, I must say that by March 2024, Leyva confided to Joshua “Demon” Euan via a TikTok message, revealing that the rapper was live-streaming outside his domestic abode at that very moment. Regrettably, this disclosure came after an unsuccessful attempt on Abrego’s life.

At one in the morning, Euan arrived at the house and then forwarded a picture of a firearm located in a car’s cup holder to Leyva, as stated in the accusation. His message to Leyva read, “He isn’t around.

At a later point, it’s claimed that Euan mentioned to Leyva that he had dispatched individuals to damage Abrego’s family residence. As per the accusation, he also shared photos of graffiti stating “Swifty Blue 187”, which is connected to the California penal code section about murder.

Euan, 37, eluded arrest Wednesday and remains at large, according to the FBI.

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2025-06-19 04:31

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