Four Pomona Gang Members Convicted of Murder, Racketeering in Los Angeles

Four members of a Pomona gang with ties to the Mexican Mafia were found guilty of multiple charges, including first-degree murder and racketeering-related crimes, following a 20-day trial in Los Angeles. The defendants—Michael Lerma, Carlos Gonzalez, Juan Sanchez, and Jose Valencia Gonzalez—were convicted for their roles in a criminal enterprise that extended from drug trafficking to a murder at the Metropolitan Detention Center in June 2020. Prosecutors revealed the murder was retaliation for an inmate's failure to pay drug debts owed to Lerma's faction of the Mexican Mafia. The convictions, part of a larger RICO investigation, highlight the gang's extensive criminal activities, including extortion and violence, spanning from 2012 to 2020. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally stated that these convictions will enhance community safety by removing key players from the streets. All four defendants have been in federal custody since 2018.