Los Angeles Gang Members Admit To Firebombing Black Homes To Make Them Leave

A mural dedicated to the Big Hazard gang, which the gang members are a part of. Photo Credit: Lisa Newton

Several members of a Latino gang in Los Angeles are facing over 30 years in prison after admitting to firebombing homes belonging to black families.

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Three men — Jose Saucedo, 24; Edwin Felix, 26; and Jonathan Portillo, 23 — admitted to being part of a group of eight gang members who firebombed the homes of Black families in 2014, according to the Los Angeles Times. The men, who belong to the Big Hazard gang, face federal hate crime charges.

The three gang members have reportedly sought plea agreements that will give them lighter sentences in exchange for their confessions. However, they each face over 30 years in prison for the firebombing attacks. As part of the plea agreement the three men will not be required to testify against Carlos Hernandez, the leader of the gang, and another member of the group. Both Hernandez and the unknown member have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to face trial later on this summer.

During the time the attacks took place, the Big Hazard gang claimed the Boyle Heights housing project as part of its territory. Wanting to scare black families living in the area, the gang took to firebombing their homes.

The gang members reportedly got their orders from 31-year-old Hernandez, who claimed that the Mexican Mafia had ordered the attacks. During the meeting Hernandez told the members that they'd be using Molotov cocktails against 23 black families.

Source: Los Angeles Times