La Familia Gang Members Arrested in Edmonton

La Familia Gang Members Arrested in Edmonton

La Familia Gang Members Arrested in Edmonton

December 17, 2014


Edmonton… Members of the La Familia gang, which is allegedly connected to Mexican drug cartels and the Mara Salvatrucha gang, have been arrested in Edmonton following an Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) investigation.

ALERT Edmonton, an integrated team consisting of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members, allege that the cartel-affiliated group was attempting to gain control of the drug distribution channels in Alberta. Their operation was supplying drug lines in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Drayton Valley, Lloydminster, and Red Deer.

La Familia, or the The Family, is described as an international support arm for the Mexican drug cartels and has strong ties to El Salvador gang Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13.

The Alberta chapter wore a three-piece patch, similar to outlaw motorcycle groups, and had an established rank structure and club rules. The Alberta president of La Familia, Jose Antonio Monterrey, was arrested on December 11 while attempting to board a flight at Edmonton International Airport.

Three associates of Monterrey, 33, were also arrested, including Peter Alan Griffon, 34, Cody Sterling Tremblett, 28, and Penny Sue Fleming, 34. They are facing a combined 40 drug and weapons related charges.

The arrests coincided with search warrants being executed at three Edmonton homes. ALERT seized $600,000 worth of drugs, including:

  • 5 kilograms of cocaine;
  • 2.7 kilograms of MDMA;
  • 2 kilograms of a buffing agent;
  • Oxycodone pills;
  • Cocaine press;
  • $45,000 in cash proceeds of crime.

A variety of firearms and weapons were also seized, including:

  • Two .22 caliber rifles, one equipped with a silencer;
  • .44 caliber Desert Eagle handgun;
  • Sawed-off shotgun;
  • Thousands of rounds of ammunition;
  • Body armour vests.

ALERT’s most recent investigation began in August when intelligence identified La Familia as an emerging public safety threat to Albertans. It was believed that La Familia was in the process of aggressively recruit new members and pursuing new markets for drug distribution.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Nearly 400 municipal police, RCMP, and sheriffs work in ALERT.

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CRIMINAL CHARGES

Jose Antonio Monterrey – 9 charges:

  • Drug possession (x 3);
  • Possession of body armour;
  • Possession of a prohibited weapon;
  • Possession of a prohibited weapon contrary to prohibition order (x 4).

Peter Alan Griffon – 9 charges:

  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x 2);
  • Possession of a loaded prohibited firearm;
  • Unauthorized possession of a firearm;
  • Careless use of a firearm (x 5).

Cody Sterling Tremblett – 11 charges:

  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x 2);
  • Possession of a loaded prohibited firearm;
  • Unauthorized possession for a firearm;
  • Careless use of a firearm (x 5);
  • Possession of a weapon dangerous to public;
  • Possession of body armour.

Penny Sue Fleming – 11 charges:

  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x 2);
  • Possession of a loaded prohibited firearm;
  • Unauthorized possession of a firearm;
  • Careless use of a firearm (x 5);
  • Possession of a weapon dangerous to public;
  • Possession of body armour.

Since 2022, CISA has been guided by four pillars that focus the effort to promote an integrated, intelligence-led approach to combating organized crime; these are:

  • Building Relationships with Stakeholders;
  • Promote Intel Sharing Across the Province;
  • Being Proactive and Identify Emerging Trends; and
  • Investing in Our People Through Training and Development

 

Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta (CISA) has recently developed an Alberta Firearms Intelligence Centre (AFIC) to equitably expand access to firearms intelligence for all law enforcement agencies within Alberta. AFIC will provide timely, accurate, and actionable intelligence to law enforcement agencies and policy-makers to achieve the shared and collaborative goals of increasing public safety concerning firearm-related crimes.

Protecting Kids Online | Internet Child Exploitation

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

FILE INTAKES

680

872

1,149

1,114

3,815

2,994

2,764

SUSPECTS CHARGED

22

16

34

37

109

81

125

CHARGES LAID

87

45

123

160

415

351

413

CHILDREN RESCUED

26

78

56

43

203

46

100

EXHIBITS SEIZED

335

368

545

476

1,724

1,243

1,845

TOTAL PHOTOS/VIDEOS

262,400

511,133

1,374,310

606,254

2,754,097

2,551,921

13,260,819

Stopping Human Trafficking | HUMAN TRAFFICKING & COUNTER EXPLOITATION

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

13

10

7

4

34

30

76

CHARGES LAID

79

46

87

19

231

96

157

VICTIM INTERVENTIONS

30

29

17

37

113

28

22

Intelligence & Expertise | CISA / Training

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

INTELLIGENCE REPORTS

409

296

327

442

1,474

1,560

1,318

TRAINING COURSES

5

3

8

11

27

36

25

CANDIDATES TRAINED

321

56

135

350

862

933

638

Disrupt & Dismantle Organized Crime | Combined Special Forces Enforcement

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

40

27

42

32

141

197

168

CHARGES LAID

176

156

237

231

800

1,088

820

FIREARMS SEIZED

105

53

26

48

232

102

126

EST. VALUE OF DRUGS SEIZED

$906,814

$553,851

$2,725,161

$1,148,337

$5,334,163

$10,898,269

$334,093,020

PROCEEDS OF CRIME SEIZED

$218,133

$52,970

$130,996

$230,195

$632,294

$1,432,847

$21,740,617

ANNUAL Regional ResultS

ARRESTS

CHARGES

FIREARMS

DRUGS

PROCEEDS

CALGARY

24

110

14

$937,422

$65,881

EDMONTON

17

131

45

$592,839

$272,446

FORT MCMURRAY

8

78

4

$352,942

$144,301

GRANDE PRAIRIE

7

17

13

$192,145

$31,855

LETHBRIDGE

7

29

44

$349,773

$51,245

LLOYDMINSTER

24

93

41

$164,134

$12,504

MEDICINE HAT

37

179

13

$293,108

$7,861

RED DEER

17

163

58

$2,451,800

$46,201

TOTALS

141

800

232

$5,334,163

$632,294

Organized Property Crimes | Auto Crimes

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

1

1

2

1

10

CHARGES LAID

11

47

STOLEN VEHICLES

23

15

1

6

45

245

118

RECOVERED ASSETS

$1,432,000

$941,025

$108,000

$260,000

$2,741025

$8,420,500

$3,919,500

Firearms investigations | Firearms lab & Gang suPpression teams

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

FIREARMS EXAMINATIONS

349

351

243

235

1,178

EXHIBIT EXAMINATIONS

1,316

1,409

891

1,099

4,715

SERIAL NUMBER RESTORATIONS

31

34

19

24

108

IBIS SUBMISSIONS

343

421

1,334

304

2,402

GUN SEIZURES

1

14

15

SUSPECTS CHARGED

4

22

26

CHARGES LAID

41

144

185

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) involves images and/or videos that depict the sexual abuse of minors – the majority of which involve prepubescent children. Often, CSAM involves explicit and/or extreme sexual assaults against the child victim (Cybertip.ca).

Learn more about Internet Child Exploitation and ALERT’s integrated teams combatting this issue.

Ghost Guns are illegal, privately manufactured firearms or lower receivers. These weapons are often made with 3D-printers, and undermine public safety due to their lack of licensing requirements, serialization and safety controls.

Learn more about Ghost Guns on ALERT’s dedicated Privately Manufactured Firearms info page