Visalia Criminal Law Blog

Federal agents used multiple search warrants to conduct a sweep in August against alleged gang members believed to be trafficking drugs throughout Los Angeles County. Across Inglewood, Hawthorne and Los Angeles, agents searched locations such as a convenience store where authorities said that gang members refined cocaine into crack and distributed it throughout the area. The early morning searches resulted in the arrest of 10 people suspected of belonging to the 92 Osage Legend Crips gang that operates in California.

According to the grand jury indictment, gang members occupied a Stop and Shop Market at 1041 S. Prairie and used it as their base for drug manufacturing. A press release from a law enforcement agency described drug distribution points throughout the county that allegedly included a U.S. vets office and a Social Security office in Inglewood.

Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted the police in Salinas as the department raided six locations. Police arrested seven individuals, including a 24-year-old man dubbed the "Cocaine Cowboy" who had been arrested a month earlier at the California Rodeo Salinas. Law enforcement claim to have recognized him as a known gang member and reportedly found cocaine in his cowboy boot during that arrest.

Police encountered the man again while searching 1430 Linwood Drive. The search of that location allegedly yielded heroin and cocaine that police suspected was for sale. Authorities recorded finding a stolen firearm as well. A 22-year-old woman was also arrested at that location.

NFL player Daryl Worley expressed gratitude for his second chance to continue his career in California after signing with the Oakland Raiders as a cornerback. He had been expecting to play for the Eagles, but that team waived him after his arrest for drunk driving and possession of an unlicensed weapon. Worley said that he has not heard from the NFL yet about disciplinary actions for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

His arrest occurred in April, when police reported finding him unconscious inside his vehicle that was blocking a highway. According to public court records, he entered a guilty plea during his court appearance in June. He accepted responsibility for misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence, resisting arrest and carrying a gun in public. He had originally faced a felony charge for the unlicensed firearm, but prosecutors dismissed the felony. His sentence included 72 hours of jail time, which he had already served, along with probation for two years.

In a study that appears in The American Journal of Public Health, researchers argue that if more felony drug offenses were reclassified as misdemeanors, as was the case with California's Proposition 47, many racial disparities in the criminal justice system would be reduced. Furthermore, certain populations would have better health outcomes. Researchers identified a number of other factors that are affected by felony drug convictions as well, including immigration status and financial aid for college along with access to jobs, housing and health benefits.

After the passage of Proposition 47 in 2014, racial disparities in arrests dropped in contrast to what the study's lead author argued was the case with the rise of incarceration beginning in the 1970s. The study analyzed data from 2011 to 2015 and looked at ethnic and racial disparities just after Proposition 47 and one year after. According to the lead author, police practices changed even within the first month.