By Katy St. Clair | Bay City News
An incarcerated San Mateo man was one of five alleged gang members federally indicted on racketeering and drug offenses that were carried out by the Mexican Mafia prison gang, the U.S. Department of Justice said Friday.
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Allen Fong, 33, and his co-defendants are alleged members of the Mexican Mafia, also known as La eMe, an organized crime outfit which began in Folson Prison and is involved in extortion, arson, and drugs and firearms trafficking, prosecutors said.
La eMe has spread throughout the state’s prison system and beyond, controlling illegal activity both inside and outside of correctional institutions.
La eMe generates revenue through the collection of “taxes,” which are basically requirements to turn over cash received from any illegal activity in the gang’s sphere of influence. In return, the gang offers protection to anyone who may find themself incarcerated. Those who fail to pay could see their property burned, among other things, prosecutors said.
La eMe collects its “taxes” in areas throughout the Western United States including throughout California and in Washington state.
The indictment alleges that La eMe formed a partnership with the Sinaloa Cartel offering protection for the cartel’s incarcerated members, including Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, in exchange for the Sinaloa Cartel supplying controlled substances from Mexico, prosecutors said.
Two inmates who were incarcerated at the San Quentin prison in Marin County are co-defendants of Fong– Ronaldo Mudrana Ayala, 74, also known as “OG, “El Professor,” and “Profe,” and Angel Anthony Esparza, 41, also known as “Snappy” or “Snaps.”
Ayala allegedly oversaw the gang’s “taxation” throughout the country, including San Diego, Riverside County, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle. He allegedly oversaw an agreement between La eMe and the Sinaloa Cartel and ordered the extortion of and/or arson crimes toward those who failed to make their payments.
Esparza was allegedly Ayala’s righthand man.
Fong, aka “Frank,” aka “Frankie Chino” was an incarcerated La eMe associate inside California State Prison in Vacaville. Fong allegedly acted as a La eMe associate who helped to arrange drug transactions and to collect La eMe taxes.
If convicted, Ayala, Esparza, and Fong face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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