Months-long gang investigation leads 23 arrests and nearly $20K in money, guns, drugs seized
Law enforcement say what started as a robbery turned into a long investigation into the Norteno criminal street gang. Author: Alanea Cremen Updated: 11:24 PM PST December 23, 2020
TURLOCK, Calif. A months-long investigation netted law enforcement 23 arrests, as well as the seizure of money, drugs and guns.
It started as a home invasion in unincorporated Turlock on March 17, 2020, and resulted in a long investigation into the Norteno criminal street gang. After detectives determined 26-year-old Adrian Ortiz was a suspect, they obtained a wiretap warrant for his phone and others involved. During the wiretap, detectives say they learned of upcoming drug deals, drug houses, how the gang would tax their members and even business owners in the area that the gang claimed: belonged to them.