Orange County, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Take Down White Supremacist Prison and Street Gangs in Largest Sweep of Its Kind

SANTA ANA — Orange County, State, and federal law enforcement announced today the largest ever take-down of white supremacist prison and street gang criminal enterprises in Orange County. Operation Stormfront was conducted in collaboration by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD), United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), and United States Secret Service.

Operation Stormfront is a multi-agency operation developed as a result of investigations by federal and State agencies into the criminal activity of white supremacist criminal street and prison gangs. (ATF and (OCSD were conducting a covert operation aimed at buying firearms and drugs, and the Secret Service focused on buying credit profiles and other fraudrelated items from members of various white supremacist criminal street gangs. (OCSD was also gathering intelligence and conducting threat assessment involving a white supremacist prison gang. These investigations resulted in the collection of extensive information on white supremacist criminal enterprises in Orange County.

The operation by (ATF, OCSD, Secret Service, along with (CDCR, was named Operation Stormfront, stemming from the name of a white supremacist website. The OCDA and USAO determined which jurisdiction would yield the most punishment for the potential charges.

The efforts by the federal agencies have led to the prosecution of numerous firearm, narcotics, and fraud cases. At the State level, the OCDA has obtained three related indictments against 14 defendants involving extortion, conspiracy, and solicitation of aggravated assault and murder. The details of the three indictments are below. Intelligence gathered during Operation Stormfront also led to the arrest of 20 additional white supremacist gang members and associates for various parole and probation violations, non-violent felonies, and one attempted murder.

"ATF undercover agents purchased 27 illegal firearms from known felons in the course of this investigation," said John A. Torres, Special Agent in Charge ATF Los Angeles. "Through ballistic analysis one of the firearms was identified as a 'crime gun' which was used in the commission of an attempted murder being prosecuted in Orange County. That firearm will no longer be on the streets."

"CDCR's Fugitive Apprehension Team Agents are thrilled to be a part of Operation Stormfront," said Anthony Chaus, Assistant Secretary, Office of Correctional Safety. "Through coordinated law enforcement efforts like today's, we will continue to work together to make our streets safer."

“In Orange County, we will never accept that gangs are here to stay, and we will never give up the battle,” stated Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas. “We are committed to disrupting gang leadership, taking away their financial resources and guns, and taking gang members off the street as many times as we can and for as long as we can.”

“The Orange County Sheriff’s Department dedicated investigative, technical and intelligence resources to this task force effort and the results include the significant seizures of contraband and arrests of top-level gang members. In addition, the investigators took proactive action and stopped serious violent acts against potential victims,” stated Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens. “This joint effort has significantly impacted major White hate groups in Orange County. With our enforcement partners, we will continue to identify, investigate and dismantle any violent gang in Orange County.”

“The U.S. Secret Service has a long history of partnering with other law enforcement to investigate and prevent of criminal activity,” said James Kollar, Resident Agent in Charge of the Secret Service office in Orange County. “Cooperation and partnerships allow us to focus our resources and respond quickly to uncover and prevent criminal activity such as financial fraud and the other crimes involved in this case.”

Senior Deputy District Attorney Jim Mendelson of the Gang Unit is prosecuting the following cases on behalf of the OCDA.

Defendants Wayne and Ruthie Marshall

Wayne Marshall is a member of a white supremacist prison gang and inmate in Orange County Jail. Wayne Marshall is accused of being a “shot caller” for two white supremacist criminal street gangs in the jail and on the street for the benefit of his prison gang. He is accused of giving criminal orders and conducting criminal business through phone calls from jail to the outside and in person during jail visits.

Wayne and Ruthie Marshall are married. Ruthie Marshall is accused of assisting her husband to control criminal street gang activity by facilitating three-way calls, acting as a communication bridge between her husband and criminal street gang members, giving orders on his behalf, and giving her own orders under the pretense of acting on his behalf. Case #10ZF0092

On or about July 10 to 15, 2010, Ruthie Marshall’s friend, Jeremy Ball, took her car for several days without permission. The car was impounded when Ball was stopped by police in traffic stop and Ruthie Marshall was unable to retrieve it from impound because she could not pay the required fees. Ruthie Marshall is accused of seeking out the help of Jeffrey Peek to assault Ball as retribution.

On July 19, 2010, Ruthie Marshall and Peek are accused of luring Ball to a motel with the intention of assaulting him. Jose Gonzalez, who is not associated with a white supremacist criminal street gang, was in the motel at the time and is accused of participating in the assault. Ruthie Marshall, Peek, and Gonzalez are accused of punching and beating Ball, carrying him into the bathroom, and holding him against his will overnight while demanding money to pay the impound fees. Ruthie Marshall’s arm was in a cast and she is accused of repeatedly hitting Ball with the hard cast during the assault. Ball was able to escape the following morning.

On Aug. 5, 2010, Ball was again lured to another motel. Ruthie Marshall and white supremacist gang members Alexander Lind and Jessie Raffensberger are accused of assaulting Bell, holding him against his will, and demanding money for the impound fees. Ruthie Marshall is accused of hitting Bell with her cast and Raffensberger is accused of hitting him in the face with a semi-automatic pistol. They are accused of committing these assaults for the benefit of white supremacist prison and criminal street gangs.

The defendants in this case face a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted. The jury trial in this case is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 17, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. The trial is expected to be continued. The indictment is as follows:

DEFENDANT NAME & “MONIKER” AGE FELONY CHARGES, ENAHANCEMENTS, & PRIORS

Ruthie Christine Marshall moniker “Mama Bear” 41, 2 counts aggravated assault 2 counts kidnapping for ransom with bodily harm 31 count assault with semi-automatic firearm Enhancement — criminal street gang activity

Jeffrey Michael Peek moniker “Dopey” 27, 1 count aggravated assault 1 count kidnapping for ransom with bodily harm Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 2005 robbery Prison prior — 2001 possession of methamphetamine

Jose Luis Gonzalez 41, 1 count aggravated assault 1 count kidnapping for ransom with bodily harm

Alexander Manfred Lind moniker “Turtle” 41, 1 count aggravated assault 1 count kidnapping for ransom with bodily harm 1 count assault with semi-automatic firearm 1 count street terrorism Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Prison prior — 2007 car theft Prison prior — 2005 possession of methamphetamine 2 prison priors — 2005 second degree burglary Prison prior &mash; 2004 possession of a controlled substance Prison prior — 1997 unlawful possession of tear gas

Jessie Raffensberger moniker “JJ” 31, 1 count aggravated assault 1 count kidnapping for ransom with bodily harm 1 count assault with semi-automatic firearm 1 count street terrorism Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Prison prior — 2010 possession of methamphetamine Prison prior — 2009 car theft Prison prior — 2007 possession of methamphetamine Prison prior — 2004 possession of methamphetamine Case #10ZF0097

Wayne Marshall is accused of becoming angry after learning that white supremacist criminal street gang member Charles Hull had “disrespected” him by claiming to other inmates that Marshall was not a member of the white supremacist prison gang. Wayne Marshall is accused of also being angry that drugs had been smuggled into the jail and he had not been given his “cut,” and believed Hull had M“disrespected” him by responding “F*** [Marshall]” when asked about the issue. Ruthie Marshall is accused of placing a series of and participating in three-way phone calls for Wayne Marshall and other white supremacist gang members. Wayne Marshall is accused of coordinating with his co-defendants to have Hull assaulted and extorted for money. Richard Briggs, Richard Rainey, Thomas Symington, Andrew Casper, and Edward Ferraro are accused of agreeing to participate in the assault and extortion plot. Both of the above criminal cases (and the case below) were discovered by Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD)

Deputies through intelligence gathering. The targeted victims in these cases, as well as seven other potential victims in unrelated cases involving the same defendants, were primarily white supremacist criminal street gang members on probation or parole. With the assistance of CDCR, OCSD Deputies arrested the targeted victims for their protection for probation and parole violations and put them in protective custody to preempt the planned assaults. The defendants in this case face a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted. The pre-trial hearing in this case is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 17, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

The indictment is as follows:

DEFENDANT NAME & “MONIKER” AGE FELONY CHARGES, ENAHANCEMENTS, & PRIORS

Wayne Jason Marshall moniker “Bullet” 36, 1 count attempted aggravated assault 1 count extortion by force or threat 1 count street terrorism Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 1999 assault with a firearm Strike prior — 1999 robbery

Ruthie Christine Marshall moniker “Mama Bear” 41, 1 count extortion by force or threat Enhancement — criminal street gang activity

Richard Michael Briggs monikers “Lil’ Rick,” “LR” 58, 1 count extortion by force or threat Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 1989 manslaughter Prison prior — 1998 sale of methamphetamine Prison prior — 1985 car theft Prison prior — 1977 forgery Prison prior — 1974 sale of controlled substance

Andrew Casper monikers “Baby Bear,‘ ‘Lil’ Brody’ 23, 1 count extortion by force or threat 1 count street terrorism Enhancement – criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 2007 robbery

Edward Anthony Ferraro monikers “Lil’ Eddie,” “LE” 30, 1 count extortion by force or threat Enhancement — criminal street gang activity

Richard Alan Rainey moniker “Ricky” 47, 1 count extortion by force or threat 1 count street terrorism Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 1992 assault with deadly weapon 4 strike priors — 1992 robbery 4 strike priors — 1985 first degree burglary Strike prior — 1983 first degree burglary Prison prior — 1997 battery on a custodial officer Prison prior — 1994 felon in possession of a firearm Prison prior — 1989 forgery

Thomas James Symington monikers “Tommy,” “TG” 33, 1 count extortion by force or threat Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Prison prior — 2004 felon in possession of counterfeit currency Prison prior — 2003 reckless evading Case #10ZF0098

On Dec. 14, 2010, the OCDA obtained indictments against six defendants in a third Operation Stormfront Orange County case. The evidence and testimony presented during the grand jury proceedings are sealed for ten days after the arraignment on the indictment and the transcripts are made public. Information on the circumstances of the crime cannot be released at this time.

The defendants in this case face a maximum sentence of life in state prison if convicted. The arraignment in the case is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 17, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana. The indictment is as follows:

DEFENDANT NAME & “MONIKER” AGE FELONY CHARGES, ENAHANCEMENTS, & PRIORS

Wayne Jason Marshall moniker “Bullet” 36, 1 count solicitation to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit aggravated assault 1 count street terrorism 5 Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 1999 assault with a firearm Strike prior — 1999 robbery

Ruthie Christine Marshall moniker “Mama Bear” 41, 1 count conspiracy to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit aggravated assault Enhancement — criminal street gang activity

Douglas Kenneth Adams moniker “K” 42, 1 count conspiracy to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit aggravated assault Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 2002 residential burglary Prison prior — 2008 sale of methamphetamine Prison prior — 2004 sale of methamphetamine Prison prior — 1999 possession of methamphetamine

Andrew Casper monikers “Baby Bear,” “Lil’ Brody” 23, 1 count conspiracy to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit aggravated assault 1 count street terrorism Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 2007 robbery

Jason Odelle Fanelli moniker “Penguin” 44, 1 count conspiracy to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit aggravated assault 1 count street terrorism Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 2003 sale of methamphetamine Strike prior — 2003 street terrorism Prison prior — 2010 possession of heroin Prison prior — 1997 possession of methamphetamine Prison prior — 1994 transportation of methamphetamine

Ryan Dennis Sloan moniker “Doc” 32, 1 count conspiracy to commit murder 1 count conspiracy to commit aggravated assault Enhancement — criminal street gang activity Strike prior — 1999 carjacking Prison prior — 2010 possession of methamphetamine Prison prior — 2009 possession of a deadly weapon Prison prior — 2007 car theft Prison prior — 2003 carrying a concealed deadly weapon