5 Gang Members Held on Murder, Firearms Charges

Seven members of a gang allegedly responsible for a series of crimes, including murders and attempted murders in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury, authorities said.

Five of the gang, described as made up of members of Southeast Asian descent, are in custody awaiting arraignment, and two are fugitives, said Det. Mel Arnold of the Los Angeles Police Department Valley Bureau.

He said a juvenile is also being held on suspicion of being involved in some of the crimes.

After a series of slayings in the Valley area during 1995, the LAPD formed a task force to investigate the crimes, authorities said.

Investigators--from the LAPD, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Long Beach Police Department and Long Beach FBI Violent Crime Task Forces--identified suspects as members of the Asian Boyz gang--one of the largest Southern California gangs, with about 300 members locally and others in Northern California, Texas, Massachusetts and Florida.

The members of the gang were also responsible for other crimes, including home invasion robberies, burglaries, extortion and arsons, mainly among the Southeast Asian community, authorities said. Though the crimes were typically committed against rival gang members, Arnold said innocent victims were also hurt.

Investigators serving warrants at 53 locations recovered 2,000 pieces of evidence--including 54 guns, Arnold said.

The homicide charges include the April 14, 1995, drive-by killing of Armando Estrada and Miguel Limon and the attempted murders of Irene Petit and Eugene Alonzo at Valerio Gardens in Van Nuys, Arnold said.

On July 23 of that year, the defendants are believed to have been involved in a vehicle-to-vehicle shootout in North Hills that resulted in attempted murder charges, authorities said.

On the same day, they are also believed to have killed Rogelio Ferman and attempted to kill Ricardo Hernandez in another vehicle-to-vehicle shootout, in Northridge, authorities said.

The five in custody include:

* Bunthoeun Roeung, 20, charged with three counts of murder, eight counts of attempted murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm.

* David Evangalista, 22, charged with four counts of murder, 15 counts of attempted murder, and three counts of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm.

* Roatha Buth, 24, charged with five counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm.

* Ky Ngo, 21, charged with one count of murder, six counts of attempted murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm.

* Son Bui, 20, charged with six counts of murder, nine counts of attempted murder and three counts of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm.

Authorities are trying to track down Sothi Menh, 22, and Marvin Mercado, 23, Arnold said.

Menh is charged with four counts of murder, 15 counts of attempted murder and three counts of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm, according to authorities. Mercado is charged with six counts of murder, 13 counts of attempted murder and four counts of conspiracy to commit murder with a firearm.

The firearms charges carry stiffer penalties if the men are found guilty of acting on behalf of the gang, according to authorities.