Two Street Gang Members Found Guilty of Murdering Victim Outside His Home During Mexican Mafia-Ordered Armed Robbery

Two members of a Southern California street gang operating under a branch of the Mexican Mafia prison gang were found guilty by a jury today of murdering a man outside his home while trying to rob him. Ysrael Jacob Cordova, 41, also known as “Trips,” and “Tripper,” of Placentia, California, and Ricardo Valenzuela, 44, also known as “Solo,” of Buena Park, California, each were found guilty of one count of murder in aid of racketeering activity (VICAR murder). The Mexican Mafia, also known as “La Eme,” is a U.S.-based prison gang that has immense control over Hispanic street gangs in Southern California, directing illegal activities from prisons and collecting a portion of the proceeds from drug trafficking, illegal gambling, and other crimes committed on the streets. According to evidence presented at a weeklong trial, the robbery was ordered by a Mexican Mafia member in charge of criminal activities in Orange County (O.C.), who was imprisoned at the Orange County jail at the time of the murder. He communicated the order to rob the victim to a Mexican Mafia member incarcerated in a different California prison, who in turn communicated the order to Cordova and Valenzuela. That same day, Cordova and Valenzuela were driven to the victim’s neighborhood in Placentia to rob him. Both Cordova and Valenzuela brandished long guns. Cordova shot and killed the victim. The robbery and murder were captured on a surveillance video recording which was introduced by the government as evidence during the trial.